Dream a Little Me in Yours Dreams
by DjDangerLove
Summary: Peter and Elizabeth find a three year old Neal in their house. De-aged Neal, Awkward yet adorable Peter as a father, Elizabeth as a perfect mother and Mozzie as...Mozzie.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own White Collar**

Elizabeth opened her eyes and glanced at the clock. It was three in the morning. She heard a noise coming from the hall and immediately turned to her husband. She shook his arm forcefully, waking him up.

"Huh? What is it?" Peter asked groggily.

"I heard a noise in the hall and Satchmo is laying beside the bed." She whispered. Her husband instantly reached for his gun in the nightstand and removed himself from the bed. He motioned for Elizabeth to stay there and for their dog to stay there beside her. Neither of which did so.

Peter poked his head out into the hallway but didn't see anyone. However, he could see a small shape at the end of the hallway. Adjusting his grip on his gun, he swiftly turned on the hall light and aimed at the object, but froze immediately.

He stood there in shock, unable to move expect for lowering his gun.

"Honey, what is it?" Elizabeth called from the bedroom as she made her way out into the hall to see what Peter was staring at.

Peter opened his mouth to answer but couldn't find the words. His wife stepped out from behind him only to give the same reaction.

At the end of the hallway stood a small little boy, no older than three years with brown curly hair and the eyes the color of the prettiest ocean blue. His bottom lip stuck out slightly and water lined the bottom of his eyes, threatening to spill down his face.

Finally, Peter managed to regain his senses and quickly checked the rest of the house out for anyone else, found nothing and returned his attention to the boy, who Elizabeth still stared at.

"What's your name, kid?" The agent asked, using the kindest voice he could muster as he slowly approached the boy. The toddler took a step back away from the older man which caused the agent to pause and hold his arms out, showing he meant no harm.

Elizabeth now stood beside Peter, having her wits about her again.

"Are you ok? You're not hurt are you sweetie?" She asked softly, remaining still.

The small boy's lip trembled as he sniffled and shook his head no.

"Are you alone?" Peter asked, wondering where the boy came from. "I mean are you here by yourself, without your parents?"

The boy waited a moment before confirming he was in fact alone with a nod of his head.

"How did you get in here?" The agent asked. Elizabeth hit him on the arm and whispered to him. "Peter stop interrogating him. He's just a boy. Can't you see he is scared enough already?"

Peter went to defend himself but was cut of by a small voice.

"It's okay." The voice was small and shaky, the letter K sounding like a T. "I...I don't know why...I'm here." His bottom lip trembled violently and water finally fell from his eyes. "I...I don't understand!"

"Hey, hey it's okay sweetheart." Elizabeth assured softly, slowly closing the distance between the boy and herself. She was startled when the boy launched himself at her, cuddling into her as she wrapped her arms around him and picked him up. She rocked him back and forth, while he hid his face in her neck and cried. "It's alright, sweetie. It's going to be okay. You're okay. It's okay."

Peter could only stand there and watch his wife comfort the small boy in her arms. After a few minutes the boy's crying had stopped and he lifted his head to look at her.

"Th-thank you, 'Lizabeth." The little boy said. Her jaw dropped, almost along with the boy in her arms.

"You ...you know my name?" She asked, glancing between Peter and the boy.

"Of course." He replied as he wiped moisture from his eyes. "You're 'Lizabeth and that's P'ter."

The couple shared a look before Peter asked, "How do you know who we are?"

"It's me," The boy answered. "Neal."

This Elizabeth did drop the boy. Fortunately, the boy managed to land on his feet, only stumbling a few steps before regaining his footing.

"What? How?" She stammered in shock as Peter eyed the boy skeptically.

"Alright, kid. Enough. Did Neal put you up to this? Damn him. I'm going to kill him."

This seemed to terrify the boy and he began to cry again and backed away from an intimidating Peter.

"Peter!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"Oh, come on El! Neal has obviously done this. He's broken into our house, put this kid in here as some prank. A prank he is going back to jail for!"

The little boy gave a horrified shriek and darted into the nearest room, which happened to be the guest bedroom. Elizabeth glared at her husband before chasing after the boy.

Peter rolled his eyes and sighed, following his wife into the room only to find her bent down trying to coax the little boy out from under the bed.

"Come on, sweetheart. It's okay. We're not going to hurt anybody or send anyone to jail. We promise okay? So just come on out here hon, so we can talk alright?"

A few sniffles were heard, before a tiny, scared voice filtered out from under the bed. "I don't want to go back to prison. I didn't...I didn't mean to make Peter angry." His words were distorted by childlike english. "I...I don't understand. I don't know what's happening. Please don't send me back!" The boy pleaded.

"Come out from under there and I won't." Peter said, playing along just to get the kid out from under the bed. He earned a glare from Elizabeth, but was rewarded with the kid coming out from under the bed.

The couple shared a look before turning back to the boy.

"Sweetheart, what's your real name?"

"It's Neal! I am Neal. Honest!" The boy wailed. Elizabeth turned to Peter who shook his head.

"I...I can prove it!" The boy said. "Peter...wears puppy dog socks a-and lucky ties sometimes because he doesn't always...believe in me to do the right thing." His vowel sounds were all mixed up, but he was sure that they understood what he was trying to say as they stared at him with wide eyes. "You two just say the word Hon, to tell each other that you love each other and you always tell me to cowboy up!"

As strange as the situation was, both Peter and Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh at the three year old saying 'cowboy up' like 'towboy up'. But both were in complete shock as they stared down at a three year old Neal Caffrey.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth sat in a rocking chair downstairs in the living room, slowly rocking the little boy. Neal's face was buried in her neck while her arms wrapped around him and held his trembling form to her. She rubbed his back gently and softly assured him everything was okay.<p>

Peter walked in from the kitchen holding a cup of water with a straw.

"Here's uh...some water for him...for Neal." He stated awkwardly.

Elizabeth wanted to laugh, but knew if she did Peter would be even more uncomfortable and shy away from Neal, which the little boy did not need. She felt the small child relax in her arms when Peter walked into the living room and knew that with Peter around he felt more safe and secure.

She took the water from her husband and propped Neal up on her knee so he could drink without choking. The little boy drank through the straw and when he was finished he realized how sleepy he felt, but he was too scared to fall asleep. He had no idea what was happening and why he was so small.

Elizabeth noticed Neal rub at his eyes tiredly, but felt him still trembling and knew he was frightened. She suddenly had an idea.

"Peter, will you take him while I make a bed for him?" She asked holding Neal out to him, who happily accepted Peter's arms. Peter held Neal awkwardly and looked at Elizabeth for answers.

"What am I supposed to do?" He asked fearfully.

"Just hold him, rock him and talk to him. I'll be back in a few minutes." She chuckled before mouthing, "He's scared so just keep him calm."

Peter watched her go and his stomach began to twist. He had no idea how to handle kids. He wasn't good with children. And this wasn't just any kid, this was Neal. He still couldn't wrap his head around it. He wanted nothing more than a thirty year old Neal Caffrey standing in his living room, completely fine. But tiny hands clutched at his t-shirt and a face with tear soaked skin buried into his neck, while small whimpers and sniffles could be heard and suddenly he felt like he knew what to do.

His fear of doing the wrong thing and lack of knowledge about kids forgotten, he eased himself down in the rocking chair and did as his wife had been doing earlier. He rocked the trembling boy in his arms, rubbed his back and assured him that everything was okay, that he wasn't going to send him back to jail. Within minutes he felt the kid relax and heard his breathing even out in sleep.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth came down the stairs about twenty minutes later and found a sight that made her heart swell. Neal was peacefully sleeping curled up into Peter's chest, with Peter sleeping soundly as well. Not having the heart to wake them, she laid a blanket over them and then laid down on the couch and fell asleep.<p>

* * *

><p>Elizabeth opened her eyes and glanced at the clock. It was eleven in the morning. She sat up and looked at her husband who stood in front of her.<p>

"Morning, Honey. Sleep well?" He asked.

She blinked and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Yeah, but I had the strangest dream."

"Yeah, I did too." Peter replied with a forced smile.

"Really?" She yawned and looked around the room. She twisted her face in confusion. "Wait, why did I sleep on the couch?"

****So, I wanted this story to just be a dream sequence, but the ending kinda leaves room for me to add more if I desire. A while back I wrote a similar story for Suits, and thought it would be a fun story to write for White Collar and it was. It was so cute imaging Peter as an awkward father, but a good one nonetheless. It was just fun to write and I may add more just for the enjoyment. I usually don't write these types of stories except for the one Suits story which was just a dream sequence. These types of stories can either be really entertaining and totally just for fun OR just plain annoying. Hopefully you were entertained and not annoyed. Thanks for reading (especially this long Author's note if you did)! ****


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed or put this story on their alerts and favorites list! I like knowing that you enjoyed it and will allow me to write more because it is too adorable and too much fun write to just not do anything with no matter how awkward and far fetched it is. hah! **

Peter and Elizabeth stared at Mozzie with a 'you have got to be kidding me look'.

"But you know that's what he gets for not listening to me. Had he believed me in the first place he wouldn't be like he is now!" The short, bald man ranted while gesturing towards the little boy standing beside him.

"Had he not listened to you at all he wouldn't be like he is now!" Peter countered, annoyance creeping into his voice.

"Oh, typical Suit. Blame the quirky friend."

"Ok, I will, because it's your fault!" Peter retorted, his voice getting louder with each word.

* * *

><p>The yelling was starting to intimidate Neal and that frustrated him. He could remember being an adult, but he couldn't remember how to control his emotions which were now all over the place. The main emotion that he felt rolling around in his stomach was fear, fear of being three years old again, and what was going to happen to him.<p>

Peter's frustration and anger wasn't helping. The older man obviously didn't want to deal with him and this only upset him further. He was growing more frustrated and wanted nothing more than to be in his apartment alone and be thirty years old again.

His two friends kept bickering back and forth about Neal's current situation, while Elizabeth tried to calm them and get them to see reason. No one was paying him any mind and he found the perfect time to leave.

* * *

><p>"Stop it! Right now! Both of you!" Elizabeth yelled, gaining Peter and Mozzie's attentions instantly. Both fell silent. "Arguing about this is not going to help matters okay? Now let's just be rational about this."<p>

"There's nothing rational about a thirty year old man turning into a three year old boy!" Peter replied exasperated.

"No, there isn't, but we need to get to the bottom of it, alright? Now Mozzie, what do you know about this..._curse _or whatever it is?"

Mozzie eyed the Suit before, clearing his throat. "Not much. Just stories of people turning into children, but they've always turned back! Or so the stories say."

Peter rolled his eyes.

"How long will Neal stay like this?" El asked.

"A week...or two..." Mozzie replied and Peter groaned. "A month tops."

"A month?" Peter yelled. "What in the world are we supposed to do with him for a month?"

"First, it may not even be that long and second, absolutely nothing _Suit_. I'll deal with Neal. You just smooth everything over at the Bureau until he changes back."

"Oh no." Peter countered. "You've done enough. He's staying with us. You're lucky I don't arrest you right now."

Mozzie looked between Suit and Mrs. Suit a minute. "Very well, then. He can stay with you, but don't expect me to just abandon him."

"Of course not." Peter replied a bit sarcastically before seriously adding, "You need to find out whatever you can about...whatever it is that is happening to him."

Peter pointed to where he had last seen the little kid standing only to be greeted with an empty space. "Where'd he go?"

All three adults started looking around the living room in search of Neal.

"Neal?"

"Neal, where are you?"

"Come here, sweetheart." El tried to coax, while trying to stop the panic that was rising in her throat.

Peter ran up the stairs taking two at time yelling for the little boy, while Mozzie and Elizabeth searched downstairs. El noticed the back door had been left open for Satchmo and yelled for Peter.

"Peter, he isn't here. The back door was opened for Satchmo, he must have gone outside!" Elizabeth was starting to panic. She walked out onto the back patio desperately hoping to see Neal playing with the dog or just standing there completely unharmed, but he wasn't anywhere.

Peter ran outside behind her, followed by Mozzie. All three noticed the side gate was open and Satchmo standing just outside of it barking at the street. The dog then took off running. Following Satchmo to the front of the house, Peter, Elizabeth and Mozzie saw a sight that made their hearts stop.

* * *

><p>Neal noticed the back door slightly ajar that allowed Satchmo to come and go from the house to the backyard as he pleased. Fortunately, it allowed him the same luxury. Walking outside, he looked to see if the gate was open. It wasn't and he soon realized being as small as he was he couldn't reach the latch to open it. However, luck was on his side as he spotted a small gardening seat by the gate. Carefully stepping on top of it, he stood on his tiptoes and stretched for the latch. After a few minutes of struggling, jumping and wiggling he got it open. He climbed down from the gardening seat, but jumped when something licked his face.<p>

Turning quickly he spotted a big, golden dog standing beside him. He knew it was Satchmo, but from his three year old perspective the dog looked like a monster wanting to eat him. Feeling frightened, he turned to the now open gate and ran.

* * *

><p>Peter came to a dead halt, as did Elizabeth and Mozzie. Satchmo stopped at the edge of the sidewalk and barked at the little boy standing in the middle of the street.<p>

Elizabeth couldn't move or find her voice. She stood and watched in horror as Neal slowly ran across the street as fast as his tiny legs would carry him then just stopped. Mozzie made a move to go get him but Peter was faster.

Peter felt his heart drop in the pit of the stomach. For a split second, his mind went back to memories of Neal jumping from the judge's chambers, passing out due to lack of oxygen, getting kidnapped and shot at. All the dangerous things that Neal had ever done or been a part of couldn't be compared to this.

"Neal!" He yelled as he ran as hard as he could. He barely turned his head to check for traffic, but caught a glimpse of a yellow taxi speeding their way out of his peripheral vision. However, the agent didn't stop. All he cared about was getting the little boy out of the street and away from danger.

* * *

><p>Neal was terrified. The golden monster was chasing him and he was easily catching up to him. He couldn't see where he was going because the tears that had welled up in his eyes blurred his vision, but he didn't care. He just wanted to get away from him. He suddenly found himself desperately wanting Peter despite how angry the man was at him. He just wanted to be safe.<p>

Neal didn't think he could be more terrified than he was right then, but he soon found that to be untrue. He blinked and rubbed the water from his eyes to clear his vision as he ran frustratingly slow and realized he was in the middle of the street that the Burke's lived on. The shock caused him to stop running. He turned his head to see a yellow taxi cab heading straight for him. He heard something that sounded like a yell, but he couldn't be sure as he tried to figure out how to move his legs. He found that he could do nothing but stand there in the way of the taxi.

* * *

><p>Peter felt like he was running in slow motion, like he would never be able to reach Neal in time. He could hear the taxi getting closer, too close. In a split second, before he had any time to process what he was doing, he grabbed the boy around the waist and tried to keep running.<p>

* * *

><p>Neal saw a big blur coming towards him from the side, but he couldn't take his eyes off the taxi. He braced himself for the impact, but suddenly felt something slam into him and carry him out of the way of the taxi. He shut his eyes, unable to keep them open out of pure fear. He felt himself and whatever had him start going down.<p>

In what felt like minutes but actually took place in seconds, Peter grabbed the boy and stumbled to the other side of the street. He felt himself falling and instantly turned his shoulders so he would land on his back and shield the little kid from the hard ground.

With a thud Peter felt his back connect with the concrete and a small weight land on top of him. He took several deep breaths trying to regain his senses. After a few seconds he sat up quickly, still holding the small weight in his arms firmly.

"Neal?" He asked, breathlessly. "Are you alright?"

The little boy only gave a whimper in response as he buried his face in Peter's chest. The older man took the boy by the shoulders and held him back at arms length to check him over. Neal kept his head down, but Peter could still see that tears were running down his face and he kept his eyes squeezed shut. The small frame trembled underneath his hands.

"Neal?" Peter asked again, growing more worried. "Answer me."

The little boy rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hands and nodded, but when he heard a dog bark close to him he jumped and flung his small arms around Peter's neck, burying his face in the side of it. He whimpered and shook, desperately wanting the older man to protect him from the golden haired beast.

Peter realized that he was scared of the dog and held the boy firmly while he stood from the ground before Satchmo came to them. The dog barked again causing the boy to jerk and press his face further into Peter's neck. Satchmo wagged his tail, panting happily, while trying to jump up and smell the younger boy.

"No, Satch. Down boy. Sit down." Peter ordered, then complimented the dog for doing as he was told.

Peter looked up to see Elizabeth and Mozzie running across the street towards them.

"Oh my God! Is he alright? Are you both ok?" She was frantic and her husband could easily see the tears in her eyes.

"Yeah, El. He's alright. We're both fine. He's just a little shaken up. That's all."

"Oh thank God!" She exclaimed holding a hand against her chest, her heart flying rapidly underneath. She patted the little boy's back for a second before instructing everyone back inside.

* * *

><p>Peter sat down on the couch with Neal still firmly latched onto him, while Elizabeth put Satchmo securely on the back porch away from Neal. Mozzie stood near the front door, but wouldn't leave until he knew for sure Neal was okay.<p>

El came back into the living room and sat down beside Peter.

"Neal, honey, what were you thinking?" She asked, trying to keep calm. She heard the boy sniffle and wiggle further in Peter's grasp. She eyed her husband, who then detached the child from him, with some effort, and sat him on his knee facing the two of them.

His face was pale with shinning tears streaming down his face. The red around his eyes, seemed to make the blue irises bolder. Elizabeth brushed a brown curl from his forehead and asked again.

"Why did you run into the street Neal? Why did you even go outside?" She was still worked up over the incident, but she tried to keep the fear and worry from her voice. "You could have been hurt or worse! What were you thinking?"

Neal tried to stop crying. He bit his bottom lip in effort but nothing seemed to work. He used to be so skilled at hiding his emotions but now he put them on display for everyone to see. He rubbed at his eyes again and felt a rough hand under his chin. His head was tilted up and when he opened his eyes he stared into Peter's face. A face filled with concern and worry, not the anger he tried to run away from.

"Neal, answer her." His voice was gruff, but gentle.

"I...I...I was ...scared." Neal ashamedly admitted. And just like releasing the dam of a river, Neal babbled. "I don't know what's happening to me. I just want to be normal. I didn't mean to make everyone so angry. I just wanted to go home, back to June's so everything would be normal, so you wouldn't have to deal with me."

Everyone just stared at the little boy, unable to reply. No one could even begin to understand what he was going through but they all felt a pang of guilt for making him feel worse.

Elizabeth gently took Neal from Peter's lap and placed him in hers. "Oh, sweetheart, I know that this hard for you and you have every right to be scared, but it's all going to be okay. Mozzie said that whatever this is will wear off in no time and you'll be back to normal. Everything is going to be fine, Neal. But until you are back to your actual age, we're going to take care of you. No one is angry with you, honey." She stopped to make sure the little boy understood what she was trying to tell him, before continuing. "This is a lot for all of us to get use to, but no one is angry with you. We are just worried about you. We don't want anything to happen to you, like what just happened a few minutes ago, alright?"

Neal nodded his head that he understood, then rubbed his eyes trying to get them to stay open but he felt so exhausted.

Elizabeth noticed and motioned for Peter and Mozzie to do something else. Her husband understood and removed himself from the couch.

"Alright, Mozzie. See what you can find out about...this. We will keep in touch." Peter stated while ushering Mozzie out the door.

"I'll be in touch with you, Suit." Mozzie said walking out the door. He turned around before Peter shut the door. He waited a moment trying to find what he wanted to say, Finally he settled with a simple, "Take care of him, Suit" before leaving.

Peter watched him walk down the street a ways before closing the door and returning to the living room. There he saw his wife slowly rocking the sleeping form of a three year old Neal Caffrey.

The agent felt relieved that Neal was asleep, safe and at least not crying. He hated to admit it but when he saw the small boy in tears he felt like it was his fault, which part of it was, and that it was his job to make him stop, to make him happy, to make him feel safe and to protect him. Of course, he always felt like Neal was his responsibility, but the kid had been able to take care of himself then, he was an adult.

Now Peter felt scared. He had never taken care of a child before. He wasn't good with children. He didn't know anything about them except they usually end up crying when they are around him or make fun of him. But he thought back to outside, when Neal was scared of Satchmo and the little boy refused to let him go. He had protected him then, he could do it again. Or could he?

Peter was going over all the horrible things that could possibly happen to a three year old in his head when his wife's voice broke him out of his trance.

"Peter? Are you okay?"

He shook his head to clear it and blinked at her before giving her what he hoped was a convincing smile. "Yeah."

She saw right through it.

"Peter, we can do this."

For a moment he believed her and felt a little better, but only time would tell. For now, he could only thank God that Neal was safe in Elizabeth's arms and pray that nothing like the previous incident would happen again.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth was making dinner, trying to find something to fix for Neal until she could go to the store tomorrow and get...all the things Neal would need. She was going over the list in her head when she heard Neal give a small cry from the living room. She quickly made her way into the next room to find Peter sitting on the floor with Neal standing in front of him with his face hidden in Peter's chest and Satchmo sitting behind Neal waiting patiently for the boy to pet him. She smiled knowing that Neal was alright, just frightened. She stood next to the bookshelf so Peter couldn't see her from where he was sitting and waited to see how Peter would interact with the small boy.<p>

Peter chuckled as he patted Neal's back, then pushed him back enough to see his face.

"It's alright, Neal. He's still the nice dog you know. He's not going to hurt you."

Neal turned his head warily to look at the dog. Satchmo got excited and stood up wagging his tail. Neal yet again turned around to Peter, but this time climbed in his lap to get away from the dog. Peter laughed and wrapped an arm around the kid.

"Neal, what scares you so much about Satch?" Peter asked, motioning for the dog to sit down again.

"H-he's...so big." Neal stammered. Peter could tell Neal was embarrassed, and didn't wish to make him more uncomfortable by mocking him.

"Oh. Well that's not a bad thing, buddy."

"It isn't?" Neal asked looking up at Peter.

"No. Since he's bigger than you now, he'll be protective of you. He won't hurt you, Neal. He just wants to play."

"Y-you promise?" Neal asked, as if just by Peter promising him it would be true. Peter smiled down at him. "I promise."

Neal was still a bit wary but slowly eased himself off Peter's lap and walked over to the dog and rubbed the golden hair. Satchmo wagged his tail and stood quickly, licking the boy's face. Neal was startled and stumbled backwards, landing on his rear with a thump. He sat there a second, and Peter was afraid that Neal would start crying or think that he had lied to him, but when the dog brought the boy one of his chew toys, Neal happily accepted the toy and tossed it across the room. Peter watched him happily run after the dog as he stood from the floor. Little giggles could be heard over Satchmo's playful growl and it made Peter smile. However, it quickly faded when he turned to see his wife standing there.

"How long have you been standing there?"

She smiled at him and walked over to wrap her arms around his waist.

"Long enough to know that you're going to be great at this so there's no need for you to worry."

Peter laughed a little. "I don't know, El. I-" But he was interrupted by a frantic tugging on his pant leg. He glanced down to see Neal standing there with wide eyes.

"Yeah, buddy?"

Neal smiled eagerly at him as he grabbed the man's finger with his tiny hand and tried to pull him.

"Come pway!" He yelled happily.

Elizabeth chuckled and playfully shoved Peter towards the boy, before turning to go back to the kitchen to finish dinner.

Peter shot his wife a look before turning his attention to the impatient boy pulling him.

"Alright, alright! I'm coming kiddo!"

* * *

><p><strong>This is really fun to write! I only hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I am! Let me know if you are or if you aren't! I have a few snippets rolling around in my head, but if there's something you really want to read, tell me and I'll see about incorporating it in a chapter for you! Thanks for reading! :)<strong>


	3. Crayons, Nightmares and Work

**Thank you so much to everyone who read, reviewed and added this story to their favorites and/or alerts! It means so much to me and I'm glad that you guys are enjoying this story as much as I am enjoying writing it! Sorry I didn't get around to replying to everyone's review, but hopefully this semi-lengthy chapter makes up for it? **

The house was quiet. Too quiet.

Peter was sitting at the dining room table looking over some case files before he had to go into work tomorrow morning. '_Monday has come too quickly.'_ Peter thought as he stared down at the files. He had his head rested in his right hand, while he mindlessly rubbed his brow in frustration. He still had to come up with an explanation for why Neal wouldn't be coming into work for awhile and though he could use the excuse of his consultant being sick, that wasn't going to last for weeks.

Thinking of his consultant, he listened for the boyish giggles that had been filling the Burke's home since Friday, but all he was greeted with was silence, unnerving silence. He slowly looked up from his files to glance around the room in search of the kid but he didn't see him. Peter felt dread creeping up his spine at the thought of a silent and nowhere to be found Neal. The kid was bound to be up to no good and Peter hated to think about what mischief he was in. With Elizabeth out shopping for Neal, Peter was left alone with the toddler and the agent did not want any trouble. He didn't want to mess up and disappoint Elizabeth. He just wanted everything to go smooth, but when did things go smoothly when Neal Caffrey was involved?

Peter stood from the table and called out for the boy, who didn't reply. He searched the first floor but didn't even see Satchmo, let alone Neal. Quickly walking up the stairs, he called for Neal again, but the boy still didn't answer. The agent saw his dog laying in the hallway in front of the door to the master bedroom and silently prayed Neal was just playing with a toy or even just sitting there, though he knew that wasn't going to be the case.

He quietly walked down the hallway, stepped over Satchmo and peeked around the door frame. His jaw dropped to the floor for a split second before anger welled up inside him.

"Neal!" He shouted, walking over to Neal in three quick strides. "What in the world do you think you're doing?"

Neal was sitting on his knees next to the wall surrounded by a sea of crayons that Elizabeth had given him earlier. The problem was that he wasn't using the paper she had given him to color on. Instead, he was using their bedroom wall.

Neal jumped at Peter's angry voice. He turned around and was faced with a red-faced, furious Peter. He couldn't stop the small yelp that escaped him as he shrank back away from the agent. Peter reached and yanked the crayon from Neal's hand with more force than he realized, which only caused Neal to shrink farther away from him.

Peter clenched his jaw as he eyed the crayon marks on the wall and made fists with his hands. He was trying to hold his tongue as his anger tempted him to verbally lash out at Neal. However, he was finding it extremely difficult and opened his mouth to voice his rage when something bumped into his leg.

He looked down in time to see the blur of a toddler running past him and out of the bedroom. Throwing the crayon down on the floor, he quickly followed Neal. Out in the hallway he came to a dead stop as he saw Neal cowering behind Satchmo who sat obediently in front of the small child as if he knew that Neal wanted him to do so. Peter felt his rage and anger slowly start to diminish. He took a few deep breaths, putting his hands on his hips while calming down.

After he didn't feel like putting the kid in handcuffs and taking him down to the Bureau for questioning, he confronted the boy who was still crouched down behind his dog, his small arms hugging the animal tightly.

"Neal?" His voice was calm, holding not quite so much anger. He watched as two big, blue eyes peered over the dog's back, but Neal stopped so nothing more than a head of curly, brown hair and his watery eyes could be seen, unable to completely face all of Peter's anger bravely. He blinked at Peter, but gave no reply.

Peter took a small step towards them, tilting his head back slightly with curiosity. "Why are you hiding behind Satchmo?"

He saw Neal hug the dog tighter before replying. "Y-you said that he would protect me."

Neal's response was muffled by the dog's fur, which the boy pressed his face into, but Peter heard the fear in his voice.

A pang of guilt stabbed Peter in the chest. Neal was using Satchmo for protection against him. That hurt Peter worse than a bullet to the heart ever could.

"Neal..." He trailed off, unsure of what to say, but desperate for Neal to quit being scared of him. The boy ducked father down behind the dog, but his eyes could still be seen partially. "Satch doesn't need to protect you, buddy. I'm not going to hurt you. You know that."

Neal slowly stood up from behind Satchmo, but still stayed behind him. He looked at Peter with a wary gaze as he bit his lip, debating the truthfulness of Peter's words. The boy stared at him trying to gauge his anger.

Peter knew that Neal was determining how mad he was so he tried to place a neutral, if not kind expression on his face but it was hard because he was still mad about the crayon marks on his wall. Fortunately, Neal seemed to think he pulled it off and shot out from around the dog and ran towards the agent.

Peter wasn't prepared for the small boy running into his legs, so he took a few steps back to counter the impact, but Neal had his tiny arms wrapped around his leg and wouldn't let go. His face was buried in the side of Peter's leg, so after Peter regained his footing he put his hand on top of Neal's head. This prompted the boy to look up at him, but he only hugged Peter's leg tighter.

"I-I'm sorry, P'ter. I didn't mean to make you mad." Neal sniffled and stared up at Peter with wet, blue eyes pleading for forgiveness while clutching his leg even tighter.

Peter's hand was still on top of Neal's head as he stared back at the pleading child hugging his leg. He let out a long sigh, then removed the boy from his leg while he squatted down so to be eye level with Neal. He held the boy at a little less than arms length by his shoulders.

"Neal, you knew better than to draw on the walls. You may be three years old, but the basic rules of right and wrong still apply. Why on Earth did you do that?"

Neal looked down at his feet and replied in a quiet voice. "I don't know...I just...did."

Peter couldn't help but chuckle at the simple answer Neal gave him. Mainly because when Neal is thirty years old that's probably what he's thinking when Peter asks him the same question.

"You just did." Peter copied. He waited a moment, thinking about what he should do. He eyed the small boy in front of him and could tell that Neal felt bad about what he had done. Peter took miracles where he could get them. He took a deep breath, making up his mind. He gave the boy's shoulder a pat. "Well, let's go see the master piece then and see if we can get it off before El gets home."

Neal quickly looked up at Peter in disbelief. Peter shook his head.

"That doesn't mean you will not be punished."

Neal looked down sadly, but followed the agent as the older man took him by the hand and led him back to the bedroom.

* * *

><p>Peter told Neal to put the crayons back in the box and arrange them by color, and even by shade while he cleaned the wall. Peter was in the process of scrubbing Neal's drawings off the wall, which he had been to angry to notice what the drawing was, while Neal sat there silently organizing the crayons back in the box. Peter managed to get a scribbly picture of a few trees off the wall, before moving on to the next drawing. Though the drawings weren't as perfect as a thirty year old Neal could draw they were quite good for a three year old. Peter was mindlessly scrubbing while he considered the quality of Neal's work, but he had to stop and fold the towel over before continuing. That was when he noticed the next picture. He stopped and stared at it until Neal's voice broke his thoughts.<p>

"Petew?" Neal asked, adding a 'w' to the end of the agent's name instead of the 'r'.

"Hmm?" Peter tried to respond nonchalantly.

"Why did you stop?"

Peter glanced between the wall and Neal for a second, while biting his lip. "I uh...I think it's time for a break."

"But you're almost finished...and I only have a few crayons left." The little boy replied holding out his tiny hand to show Peter the remaining crayons. Peter smiled at him, before taking the crayons and throwing them in the box.

"Hey! I was almost finished." Neal rebuked. "I'm not starting over."

Neal crossed his arms over his chest.

Peter nodded. "Okay. You don't have to. Come on, let's take a break." The older man stood and took Neal by the hand to make sure he followed.

"You said, I didn't have to finish sorting the crayons, so I am not taking a break because I am done." Neal replied.

Peter rolled his eyes. "In that case you can finishing cleaning the wall."

When Neal didn't reply, Peter ran a hand over his mouth to hide his smile.

They passed Satchmo before they got to the stairs and Neal held out his other hand that Peter wasn't holding and motioned for the dog to follow. "Come on, Satchymo." Peter laughed softly at the fact that Neal added a 'y' in the dog's name.

"I see you're no longer afraid of the dog." Peter stated as he stopped at the top of the stairs.

Neal looked up at him. "You said I didn't need to be."

"You don't." Peter replied, making eye contact with the boy. "Now, careful down the stairs. El will kill us if she comes home and finds us gone on a trip to the ER."

Neal grinned at him. "Us or you?"

The older man narrowed his eyes at him, before laughing. "Yeah, you've got a point."

The two made their way down the stairs with no mishaps, but Peter didn't let go of Neal's hand until they were on the first floor. The little boy was about to run off after Satchmo, but Peter caught him by the shirt.

"Oh, no no no no. You're not going anywhere. I told you that you would be punished."

Neal turned his big, blue puppy dog eyes to Peter. "But I sorted the crayons like you said."

"I hardly think that covers it."

Neal was losing and he had to act quickly. He stuck out his bottom lip just a little and made it quiver, using his three year old body for advantage.

"Oh no. That's not going to work on me." Peter said, guiding Neal to the dining room. He pulled out a chair and picked the boy up and sat him down. He scooted the chair back in and pointed at Neal. "You're going to sit here, completely silent. You are not allowed to make any noise whatsoever. You're feet touch the floor before I say you can get up, you will sit there until bed and then sit there tomorrow. Understood?"

Neal nodded in conformation to intimidated to speak, but even if he had the courage to speak Peter said he wasn't allowed to.

"Good."

* * *

><p>It had been thirty minutes.<p>

Peter was sitting across from Neal at the dinning room table, going over case files. He was quite surprised that Neal had actually done as he was told. Although twenty minutes ago, the boy started swinging his legs and had yet to stop. But Peter figured it was the only way Neal would survive sitting there that long.

Ten more minutes went by and Peter noticed Neal was making weird faces, but put it down as being bored.

After fifteen more minutes went by, Peter heard a very tiny whimper. It was so quiet he wasn't sure if he had actually heard it or imagined it. Glancing up at Neal, he realized he had actually heard it. The little boy was squirming frantically in his chair and had tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Neal? What's wrong?" Peter asked in a panic, standing from his chair and walking around the table to Neal where he squatted down and looked up at the boy. He took him by the shoulders to make him still. The boy looked at him but didn't speak.

"Neal! Answer me!"

"I gotta pee!" Neal shrieked before sliding off the chair and running to the bathroom. Thankfully, El had placed a stool next to the toilet so Neal could go by himself.

A few minutes later, a red-faced Neal approached Peter who still stood in the dining room.

"You wash your hands?" Peter asked. Neal nodded.

"Neal you could have told me you had to use the bathroom." Peter stated rather guiltily. He didn't mean for the kid to sit there in misery.

"You told me not to make a sound...or put my feet on the floor before you said I could." Neal replied, before looking up at Peter with wide eyes. "Please don't make me sit there anymore! I promise not to draw on the walls! I won't even draw at all. Please, Petew. Please!"

Every time Neal said his name, Peter couldn't help but laugh at how the 'r' became a 'w'. All of the vowel sounds were mixed up when Neal spoke and the agent found it quite humorous, something he would miss when Neal changed back to an adult.

Peter shook his head. Was he really starting to think about missing a three year old Neal? Surely not.

"Alright, Neal. As long as you've learned your lesson."

"I have! Honest!"

"Honest?" Peter asked rhetorically, but Neal answered anyway.

"Swears it."

Peter smiled and ruffled his hair. "Alright, go find Satch for me while I get his dinner ready, okay?"

"Kay." Neal replied, and took off trotting through the house.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth walked through the front door, carrying a lot of bags. Once she closed the door behind her, she dropped them on the floor with a tired sigh. She stood there a moment wondering where her boys were. The house was quiet. She was about to call out for them, but a loud shriek made by Neal came from the kitchen followed by boyish giggles and a manly laugh with light and heavy footsteps that were coming in her direction at what sounded like a fast pace.<p>

Pretty soon the toddler came trotting around the corner into the living room being chased by Peter. Elizabeth joined in on their laughter when the little boy hid behind her legs from her husband.

Peter stopped running and greeted his wife.

"Hey, hon. How'd shopping go? By the looks of it, it went well."

"It did. How did things go here?" She asked, ruffling the boy's hair who still hid behind her.

"Everything went well. Now if you'll excuse me I have a robber to catch."

Before Elizabeth could ask, Neal gave another shriek and took off running back to the kitchen. Halfway across the living room, Peter tapped Neal on the shoulder and laughed triumphantly.

"Ah ha! Now you're the cop!" Peter yelled as he pretended to run quickly away from the boy. Neal giggled and ran after Peter as fast as his little legs would carry him.

Elizabeth laughed hysterically at the sight of her husband playing Cops and Robbers with Neal. Although they weren't exactly playing by the exact rules, both seemed to be having a good time. She let them be as she took Neal's new things up to the guest bedroom to set it up.

* * *

><p>"Alright, kiddo." Peter said breathlessly as he laid sprawled out on the living room floor, with Neal laying next to him. "Back to normal. I'm the cop. You're the robber."<p>

"Alleged." Neal corrected.

"Right. Alleged." Peter chuckled as he slowly got up from the floor. Neal made no move to get up, which told Peter the kid was finally tired. "I'm going to see if El needs any help. I'll be back down in a minute. Stay in here okay? And don't break anything...or draw on any walls."

"Kay." Neal replied while rubbing his eyes sleepily.

Suddenly Peter remembered he never finished cleaning off Neal's drawings from their bedroom wall and hurried upstairs.

He walked into their master bedroom to find Elizabeth staring at the crayon on her wall with a hand covering her mouth and an expression in her eyes that Peter couldn't quite place.

"Honey, don't worry. It washes off." Peter told her cautiously. "I washed most of it off earlier, but didn't get around to finishing but I will right now." He made to move to get the supplies, but Elizabeth grabbed his arm to stop him.

"No."

"What?" He asked her in surprise.

"I mean...don't worry about it right now." She replied in a hesitant voice. "I'm sure you will still be able to get it off tomorrow."

Peter stared at her questioningly, but didn't dare push the issue. He felt relieved that his wife had the same reaction to the drawing that he did. "Okay. I'll wait."

She smiled at him. "He's still a pretty good artist even though he's three huh?"

Peter looked at the drawing, a scribbly drawing of Satchmo, Mozzie, June, Diana, Jones, Elizabeth, himself and Neal as a toddler all playing, or doing something of a sort, at a park.

"Yeah, he is. There were a few more trees over there but I washed those off."

Elizabeth laughed and wrapped her arms around her husband as they both continued to stare at the drawing that made their heart swell slightly. "How bad was his punishment?"

Peter sucked in a breath. "You'll have to ask him. I made him organize his crayons by color and shade while I washed the wall, then made him sit at the table being completely silent. That didn't end so well."

She eyed him for a minute, debating whether to ask him to elaborate or wait for Neal to tell the big tale, before pulling away from him. "We better get back downstairs."

* * *

><p>After the three of them ate dinner, Neal went to the living room and played with Satchmo while Peter and Elizabeth cleaned up.<p>

When they were finished about twenty minutes later, they walked into the living room to find Neal laying curled up on his side on the floor sound asleep. Satchmo laying beside him.

"He's so cute." Elizabeth whispered to her husband, who just tried not to smile. "Come on, let's put him to bed."

She motioned for Peter to pick him up carefully and try not to wake him, while she climbed the stairs to find Neal a pair of his new pajamas.

Peter crouched down next to the sleeping boy and slowly turned him over on his back so he could pick him up easier. He carefully eased him off the floor and held him to his shoulder so that Neal's head rested on it. The boy shifted in his grasp and wrapped his right arm around Peter's neck while his left dangled against the agent's back, but didn't wake up.

Once Peter made it to the guest bedroom, he eased the boy down on the bed. Neal made a content sigh, but remained asleep. Elizabeth managed to slip Neal out of his clothes and into some dinosaur pajamas with some help from Peter. They scooted him up in the bed and pulled the covers up over him. Satchmo jumped onto the bed and curled up at the foot of it, just as he had the past two nights. The Burkes knew it made Neal feel safer and allowed him to sleep easier, so they allowed him to stay there.

"Goodnight, Sweetheart." Elizabeth whispered, bending down and placing a kiss on Neal's forehead. Peter watched her with a small smile and followed her out of the guest bedroom. He stopped at the doorframe and looked back at Neal.

"Goodnight, Buddy." He whispered before turning out the light.

* * *

><p>Peter woke suddenly. He quickly looked to see if he had woken his wife. Thankfully, he hadn't. He took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair, while checking the time. Three forty-five in the morning.<p>

He knew he needed to try and get some more sleep before he had to get up for woke in a couple of hours, but he couldn't shake the feeling of his dream. He could still see a man running away from him while he stood frozen to the spot, unable to move. However, that wasn't what unnerved Peter. It was the fact that the man was carrying three year old Neal in his arms and the boy was looking at him over the man's shoulder, reaching out for him with tiny outstretched arms, while crying and screaming his name, begging him to save him.

Peter shook his head and removed himself from the bed slowly, so not to wake his wife. He quietly walked down the hall to the guest bedroom and peered around the doorframe. He let out a relieved sigh when he saw the little boy sleeping soundly on his stomach, his left hand near his mouth, but Peter couldn't tell if he was sucking his thumb or not.

He made his way downstairs, turned on the kitchen light and poured himself a glass of milk before sitting down at the little island in the kitchen. He sat there for about five minutes until he heard a soft pitter-patter coming towards him. He waited a second before a toddler came into the kitchen rubbing at his eyes sleepily.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Peter asked.

Neal looked at him with half opened eyes. "You're not in bed either."

Peter chuckled and picked the boy up to sit him in the chair beside him.

"Do you want some milk?"

Neal nodded, while rubbing at his eyes again. Peter poured a small glass and placed it in the microwave for a few seconds, before returning to his seat beside Neal.

The man and boy drank their milk silently until Peter spoke.

"How'd you know I was down here? I was pretty quiet." The agent asked, afraid he had woken the younger boy.

Neal nodded and wiped his milk mustache off with the back of his hand.

"You weren't in your room, thought you would be down here."

Peter nodded before, thinking about what Neal said.

"Why were you looking for me?"

Neal fiddled with his glass and swung his legs, not wanting to answer the question. Peter sensed this and decided to help Neal out.

"Well, I wasn't in my room because I had a nightmare." Peter said looking down at Neal out of the corner of his eye. Neal looked up at him quickly.

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"Wha-what was it about?" Neal asked.

Peter thought a moment, knowing he couldn't tell the little boy the truth. "I dreamed...I dreamed that they ran out of deviled ham sandwiches at the deli and then there was a city wide power outage and I couldn't watch the game."

Neal stared at him for a second, before busting out in giggles.

"Are you laughing at me?"

Neal tried to stop laughing but could only chuckle lightly. "No."

"Sure." Peter replied light-heartedly.

"I...I had a nightmare, too." Neal confessed.

"You did?" Peter pretended to ask as if he didn't know. "What was it about?"

Neal was silent for a moment, taking another sip of his milk. "I...dreamed that...you were gone."

Peter furrowed his brow. "Gone?"

"Ye-yeah." Neal replied while his tiny fingers traced an invisible picture on the counter. "No one could find you."

Peter waited a moment, staring at the kid who obviously didn't like the idea of not being able to find him. Peter felt something swell in his chest.

"Sounds like I'm the one needing the tracker, huh?" He teased, eyeing Neal's anklet on the kitchen counter, which was way too big for the boy but still remained green despite the fact it was off Neal. "Speaking of which, don't go getting any ideas about running off since you don't have your anklet on."

Peter gripped the boy's tracker-less little ankle and gave it a shake. Neal giggled. "I won't. Swears it."

Neal took the last sip of his milk, the straw making the sound that said the glass was empty.

"Good, because we can easily get you microchipped."

Neal eyed him to see if he was being serious. Since he couldn't tell he just shrugged his shoulders and rubbed his eyes.

Peter noticed that the warm milk had done the trick.

"Alright, well I think I can go back to bed. What about you?"

Neal nodded sleepily. Peter took the glasses and put them in the sink. He walked back over to where Neal was seated and picked him up. The boy made no protest and contentedly rested his head on Peter's shoulder, while the older man rubbed his back and carried him back to his room.

Peter gently eased the boy down on the bed. He was almost asleep, but still grabbed the agent's hand with his two tiny ones.

"It's okay, Buddy. Satchmo's still here to protect you. I'm going to go back to bed, but if Satch isn't doing a good job you come get me, alright?" Peter whispered, patting the child's stomach.

Neal nodded at him before scooting closer to the dog and letting sleep claim him.

* * *

><p>Six o'clock rolled around in what felt like minutes to Peter instead of two hours. He got ready for work, called Neal in sick because it was the best thing he could come up with and went downstairs. Elizabeth was in the kitchen working on some things for Burke Premiere Events.<p>

"Morning, Honey." She greeted. "Sleep well."

She kissed her on the cheek when he passed her on his way to the coffee maker.

"Yeah, Neal and I had a glass of milk at four this morning." He told her casually.

"What? Why was he up?" She asked.

"He had a nightmare."

"Oh. I feel awful. I slept through it. I should have heard him." She stated guiltily.

"No. He didn't cry or scream or anything."

"Then how did you know he was having a nightmare?"

"I was already awake."

She looked at him questioningly while he drank his coffee.

"I had one, too." He elaborated.

She was about to respond, but Neal suddenly appeared in the kitchen.

"Hey, sweetheart. You're up early."

"I gots'ta be." He replied.

"Why?" She asked.

"Work!"

Peter and Elizabeth looked at each other, silently communicating which one of them would take this conversation. In the end, Peter didn't want to be the one and excused himself to go upstairs and get his things.

"Neal, come here sweetie."

She picked the boy up and sat him on her knees so he was facing her.

"You're not going to work today."

"Why not?"

"Well...because three year old boys don't work for the FBI."

"But I'm not three...not really! I mean...I am now but I'm not."

"I know, Neal. I know. But just consider this a vacation, okay? You don't have to work, you can stay here and play with Satch or we could go to the park or do something else fun."

"What about Petew?"

"Peter still has to go to work."

"H-he does?" Neal asked, trying to hide the sadness in his voice.

"Yeah, but he will be back in no time. You'll see."

Neal nodded, but she could tell that Neal didn't want Peter to leave. She let him down on the floor, and both went to the living room to see Peter off.

Elizabeth hugged him. "Bye, Hon."

They kissed before he replied with the same thing.

He squatted down in front of the small boy. "Be good today and remember just because you don't have an anklet doesn't mean you are out of our deal. The same rules apply. We can microchip you if we need, too."

Peter and Neal laughed, knowing it was both a joke from last night, but Elizabeth didn't.

"Peter!"

"I was kidding, El." He said before looking back at the boy.

"Bye, kiddo." The agent ruffled the boy's hair. He was about to stand up when tiny hands tried to wrap around his sides to hug him. After a few seconds, he hugged the boy back. He heard Neal muffle something into his chest, but couldn't make out what it was.

"What?"

Neal pulled back from Peter. "Don't get lost."

Peter bit his lip to keep from smiling and El wore a confused expression. He looked to his wife and mouthed 'his nightmare'. She made an 'oh' shape with mouth stating she understood.

"I won't, Neal. I'll see you guys this afternoon." Peter stood up and walked out the door. He heard tiny footsteps follow him, followed by Elizabeth calling Neal's name. Turning around halfway in route to his car he saw the little boy running after him.

"Neal, what are you-" But his question was cut off when Neal slammed into his legs and wrapped his arms around one of them.

"Please, don't go. I won't draw on the walls again, honest! I won't do anything to make you mad! I'll be good!" Neal pleaded, then stepped stepped back embarrassed by what he had done.

"Neal..." Peter trailed off, unsure of what to say. "You know I'm not leaving and I'm not leaving because of anything you've done. I'm just going to work because it's my job and I have to. I'll be back in a few hours. I promise, ok?"

"Okay." Neal replied, looking at his feet. "Sorry...I...I don't know why I just did that."

Peter nodded and waited for Elizabeth to pick the boy up before going to get in his car. He could hear Elizabeth tell Neal to never run out of the house like that again as he got in his car. He started his vehicle and drove off in the direction of the Bureau, unable to give his wife and Neal one last look, in fear that he wouldn't be able to make himself drive away.

* * *

><p><strong>Please let me know what you think! Your feedback is greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D<strong>


	4. When You Cry a Piece of My Heart Dies

**THANK YOU! All of you! You guys are so kind in your reviews and I thank you so much for taking the time to read this story and leaving a review or adding it to a favorite or alert list! You guys are so wonderful!**

**I planned to have this up a few days ago, but I ended up writing a one shot for the new Mission: Impossible movie. Little fact about myself, I love Jeremy Renner and he plays Agent Brandt in that movie. Go see it if you haven't! haha **

**Oh, and we're so close to the 17th guys! I can't wait! :D**

* * *

><p>Neal was running around the house making all kinds of noises. Elizabeth let his imagination run wild while she worked from home. Every once in a while she would take a break and join in on whatever adventure Neal was on at the time.<p>

She had just finished capturing a dinosaur, which was played by Satchmo, when her cell phone rang. She answered it and became engaged in a conversation with a client. She saw Neal run after the dog in the kitchen out of the corner of her eye while she listened to a not-so-polite client. Elizabeth was on the phone for about ten minutes, the conversation mostly consisting of complaints by a woman that was never satisfied and by the end of it she was frustrated. She hung up, letting out a groan of annoyance and frustration when the phone was off and turned around quickly to get started on the changes the woman had ordered. However, she didn't know that Neal was standing behind her and bumped into him, sending him off balance, face first into the side of the coffee table.

She watched in horror as Neal's cheek connected with the corner of the piece of furniture. At first, Neal just sat there looking up at her with a hurt expression shining in his crystal blue eyes but in a split second tears streamed down his face as he let out a heart-wrenching scream.

Elizabeth quickly picked the small boy up in her arms, checked his face over, shushed him gently, apologized repeatedly and began rubbing his back. She placed a kiss on his cheek where a red mark covered his skin from the impact. She sat down in the rocking chair and began rocking the crying toddler. Neal trembled and cried harder, unable to calm down.

"Neal, baby, it's okay. It's okay." El tried to assure, but he kept squalling. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I'm so sorry." She then lifted Neal's head from the crook of her arm to rest on her shoulder. She felt his wet face press into the side of her neck and kissed his bruising cheek once more before resting the side of her face against his. She wrapped both of her arms around the upset boy, one hand rubbing his back, the other running through the boy's curls and began singing loud enough to hear over his cries.

_I wish I could do better by you,_

'_cause that's what you deserve. _

_You sacrifice so much of your life_

_in order for this to work. _

_While I'm off chasing my own dreams, _

_sailing around the world, _

_please know that I'm yours to keep_

_my beautiful 'boy'. _

_When you cry _

_a piece of my heart dies _

_knowing that I may have been the cause. _

_If you were to leave,_

_fulfill someone else's dreams,_

_I think I might be totally lost._

Neal still cried, but he had stopped the squalling that broke Elizabeth's heart. Now Neal rested in her arms, soaking up her comfort while crying and taking shaky long breaths in between sobs. She began singing the verse again, knowing that it was helping.

* * *

><p>Peter walked through the front door of his house eagerly, but what was on the inside wasn't what he had expected or wanted. He could see his wife rocking Neal in the living room and heard crying along with his wife's singing.<p>

_When you cry_

_a piece of my heart dies_

_knowing that I may have been the cause._

_If you were to leave_

_fulfill someone else's dreams,_

_I think I might totally be lost._

The corner's of the agent's mouth began to turn up slowly as he heard his wife singing a song that the married couple considered one of their songs. However, Peter felt a somewhat sharp pain flow through his chest and settle in his stomach at the sounds of Neal's crying. Unable to take it anymore, he walked into the living room to stand in front of his wife. She smiled sadly up at him and when he mouthed to ask what was wrong, she slowly lifted her head from Neal's.

Peter's eyes widened when he saw the dark bruise forming on the boy's cheek.

"What happened?" He whispered, but Elizabeth waved a hand at him to tell him that she would explain later, then went back to singing.

At first, Peter thought it was odd that El would be singing that song to Neal since it was a love song, but after thinking about it a second he could understand how it applied to the small boy in her arms, or their small family in general, not that he would ever admit that out loud to anyone.

Peter nodded at her, and went about changing his clothes and taking Satchmo for a walk. When he came back, he found Elizabeth standing in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with her back towards him.

"El?" He asked, cautiously.

"He's upstairs in his...in the guest bedroom asleep." She responded, her voice sounding rather odd to Peter, who she had yet to face.

He walked slowly up behind her and took her chin in his hand, gently turning her head to see her face. She was crying. He swallowed the lump in his throat, the one created partially by the fact his wife was upset and then the fact he had no idea how to deal with crying women.

"What's the matter, El?"

She closed her eyes for a second, before turning her head back towards the counter.

"It's my fault."

Peter looked at her completely confused. "What's your fault?"

"I didn't know he was standing behind me. I just got off the phone and I was mad about a client...I turned around quickly and bumped into him!" She rambled as tears stung at her eyes. "All I can see is the hurt look in his eyes."

"El..." Peter trailed off with an uncomfortable, yet disbelieving laugh that he quickly covered with a cough at his wife's sharp glance. "Honey, you didn't hurt him on purpose. It was an accident! And all but a small bruise on his cheek, he's fine! Don't be so upset."

"It doesn't matter if it was an accident! I hurt him! He's a three year old boy, and could've been hurt worse!"

"But he wasn't!"

"And he looked at me with such hurt in his eyes, like he couldn't believe I had hurt him."

"El, he looked hurt because his cheek connected with the corner of the coffee table." Peter tried to reason, now understanding that his wife was worried about the boy being mad at her or hurt by her emotionally.

"You think I don't know that?"

"That's not what I meant." Peter replied. "I'm just saying that you don't need to be upset about accidentally hurting him. He knows it was an accident and he's not going to hold it against you."

Elizabeth looked at him, desperately wanting to believe him.

"Honey, you said it yourself, he's three! Sure, he's been an adult and has memories of being an adult, but mentally and emotionally he's like any other kid. Easily hurt, but easily forgiving."

She smiled weakly at him. "I thought this conversation would have been the other way around."

"Honestly, I did too." Peter laughed as he wrapped his arms around his wife.

"I worry about him, now more than ever. I just... I want..." Elizabeth struggled to find the words, but luckily her husband understood.

"I know, Hon. Like you told me before, we can do this. We can still do this."

* * *

><p>Peter walked up the stairs, on his way to get Neal up for dinner. Elizabeth had said she was going to, but Peter offered instead playing it as if it was so El could continue cooking dinner.<p>

He opened the door and found Neal still asleep. Once he was standing beside the bed, he squatted down and gently shook Neal's shoulder.

"Neal. Buddy, wake up."

The small boy turned over on his back and turned his head towards Peter, the bruise on his left cheek becoming visible to Peter, but he didn't wake up. Peter ran a thumb across the dark injury, before waking the boy. He ruffled Neal's wavy hair.

"Come on, Neal. Wake up."

He was rewarded with a groan and the flickering of blue eyes. After a few seconds of Neal rubbing his eyes and yawning, the little boy looked at him. A grin spread across his face, but didn't extend to it's full length because of the pain it caused.

"P'tew."

"Heyyyy." Peter drug out as he smiled back. "It's time for dinner. You wanna come downstairs?"

Neal nodded, before sitting up on the bed, then standing on it. Peter stood and unconsciously held Neal steady, afraid that he would fall.

"Did you catch the bad guy today, P'tew?" Neal asked, anxiously bouncing up and down on the bed as much as he could with the agent holding on to him.

"Yeah, we caught one and I'll tell you all about it, but first I need you to do something for me okay?"

"O'tay."

"First, I need you to wash your hands for dinner. Then, I need you to go downstairs, give Elizabeth a big hug and help her finish making dinner. Can you do that for me, Bud?"

Neal smiled at him. "Sure!"

* * *

><p>Elizabeth had just finished setting out the ingredients for some pasta sauce, when something tugged at the leg of her pants. She looked down to see Neal standing there grinning at her.<p>

"Hey, Neal. Did you sleep good?" She asked, as normal as she could since she still felt guilty, especially now since she could see the dark bruise on his cheek.

"Uh huh." He nodded, still looking up at her. The two of them stared at each other a second before Neal extended his arms up towards her, signaling he wanted to be picked up. Elizabeth chuckled quietly and picked the small boy up in her arms.

She was a bit surprised when tiny arms hugged her neck and when Neal pulled away to look at her and said, "You sing 'weally good, 'lizabef."

"Thank you, Sweetie." She managed to reply, though she was still in a state of shock.

"What are you making?" He asked, twisting his body in her arms a bit to see the counter.

"I'm making pasta sauce. Would you like to help?"

He nodded eagerly.

"Okay. I'm gonna set you on the counter, but you have to promise me you'll sit right there and won't try to stand up on the counter or try to jump down okay?"

"Pwomise!" He exclaimed, wiggling in her grasp ready to be placed on the counter. Elizabeth did so, reluctantly and with a deep, worried breath.

Neal sat on the counter just as he promised, though he swung his legs back and forth, then eventually moved to sit indian-style and about gave Elizabeth a heart attack at the sudden movement.

She added the ingredients as Neal stirred with both hands on the big spoon and his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth in concentration and effort. She was listening to Neal enthusiastically tell a tale of one of his and Satchmo's adventures when she got a table spoon of water to add to the bowl. She glanced at Neal who was looking into the bowl when a mischievous smile spread across her face. Getting a teaspoon of water, she waited until Neal finished telling his story, then flicked the water at the unsuspecting boy. He jumped a little and dropped the spoon in the bowl. He looked up at Elizabeth who was biting her lip to try to keep from laughing. He wiped the water off his face and giggled. "'lizabef!"

She burst out laughing, joining in on Neal's childish giggles.

"Okay, Neal. Fair is fair. Come here." She picked the boy up and set him down on the floor. She then turned and got a table spoon of water since she was much bigger than Neal and handed it to him.

She squatted down in front of him so it would be fair. They were both still laughing when Neal stuck his tongue out again as he got ready to flick the water at her, but suddenly Neal stopped. "'Lizabef?" He asked.

"Yeah?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What if...what if instead of getting you..."

"We got Peter?" She asked, her mischievous smile returning at the sight of Neal's. "Oh my, even at three years old you're still mischievous. Peter will be so thrilled." She stated sarcastically, with a laugh. "Let's get him."

"Oh, Peter!" Elizabeth called, from her seated position on the kitchen counter, Neal sitting in her lap, both of them sitting by the sink. "Come here for a minute!"

They heard Peter getting up from the living room and tried to quieten their snickers.

"Yeah?" He asked, walking into the kitchen.

"Tell us what you think about the pasta sauce Neal made."

Peter eyed them suspiciously, his agent skills never failing him, but still made his way beside them to taste the sauce. He got a spoon from the drawer, dipped it in the sauce and tasted it.

"Mmm, this is goo-" But he was cut off by a blast of water spraying him in the side of the head. He was frozen, leaning over the pasta sauce bowl, his arm and hand still holding the spoon in his mouth.

He heard his wife and Neal burst out laughing, before he turned to them slowly.

"Oh, it's on!"

Elizabeth picked Neal up and got down from the counter, running around to the other side of the kitchen. "Come on now, Peter. It was just a bit of fun! No reason to get us back!" She tried to reason, putting on her best puppy dog eyes, she glanced at Neal on her hip and whispered loud enough to still be heard by Peter. "Neal, put your puppy dog eyes on him."

"Doesn't wowk!" He whispered back, though Peter still heard it. The three of them burst out laughing.

"He's right!" Peter replied, before taking the sprayer from the sink and getting his revenge.

* * *

><p>Thirty minutes later, the three of them were seated on the kitchen floor leaning their backs against the counter. Neal sat between Elizabeth and Peter as Satchmo licked the pasta sauce off the floor. Somewhere in their battle, pasta sauce was used as ammo by El, then it became fair game for everyone to use. Now they sat covered in it, breathing heavily and still laughing.<p>

They heard the doorbell ring.

"Pizza's here." Peter stated and they burst out laughing again. Halfway through the battle, the sauce already ruined, they decided to order pizza, but had yet to clean up. Neal shot up off the floor and ran to the door tracking sauce as he went. Peter followed, equally covered in the sauce, and opened the door.

The pizza delivery boy stared at Peter and Neal for a second. "U-uh...here's y-your pizza, Sir."

"Thanks." The agent replied with a smile and got out his wallet to pay and tip the kid.

Peter shut the door and turned to the little boy. "We will probably never be able to order pizza from there again. No one will want to come to deliver it, because that guy will tell everyone I'm crazy."

Neal looked up at the agent. "But you are cwazy, P'tew!" The boy giggled and took off running back into the kitchen. He slipped going around the corner, making Peter step forward in a running position in attempt to save the boy from the hard fall, before the boy caught himself before he fell. The agent let out a relieved breath.

"Yes, I am, Neal. Yes, I am."

**Thanks for reading! Please, let me know what you think! :)**

**The song that Elizabeth sings to Neal is called The Girl by City and Colour. I changed it to the boy obviously, and left one verse, because it is a love song but I really like this song and it came on while I was writing so I just chose it. I went back to change it but I decided to leave it in. Feel free to imagine her singing whatever song you like though! **


	5. Chapter 5

**So sorry that it has been forever since an update! This one is a little short and mostly just Neal and Peter bonding again, because it is my favorite thing about this story so hopefully you don't mind! **

* * *

><p>Peter sat on the park bench, the tips of his tennis shoes digging into the graveled covered ground below. He sat back relaxed, his right arm laying on the back of the bench while his left was propped up on the armrest. He took a deep breath, taking in the beautiful scenery of New York, before his eyes landed on Neal. The little boy was currently running around the playground that Peter had brought him to. His dark, unruly hair was flopping in the wind as his tiny legs carried him as fast as they possibly could to the opposite side of the park.<p>

Peter couldn't suppress a grin as he watched Neal play. Although 'adult Neal' always had a charming smile, the happiness that Neal displayed as a child was much more pure and honest and it was much more contagious. Once joyfulness twisted his lips into a smile and forced childlike laughter from his throat, it swam up into his bright blue eyes and forced the innocence that no one could see in Neal except only a few, to show. Of course, it wasn't the kind of innocence judged by a jury or questioned by the law. It was an innocence that only the reality of life could strip away. Peter had a very strong suspicion that reality had taken most of it away from Neal far too soon, and being a man of justice Peter wanted nothing more than to give Neal a life where innocence could be found again.

He watched as Neal abruptly stopped running and toppled over into the grass. His breath hitched and his muscles tensed, but when the childlike giggles Peter had become used to could be heard, he relaxed back onto the bench. The little boy stayed sprawled out in the grass on his belly for a few seconds, before rolling over onto his back. Peter was waiting for him to sit up but after a minute of Neal being still, he got up and walked over to the boy.

Neal was squinting up at the sky, but when Peter leaned over him and blocked the sun, he opened his eyes all the way, and smiled up at the agent.

"Hiya Petew!"

"Neal?" Peter questioned with a curious eyebrow raised and a ghost of a smile. "What are you doing?"

"Looking at the sky."

Peter squatted down and rested his elbows on his thighs while he made an 'Ah' sound in understanding. "And may I ask why?"

"To see the clouds!"

"Oh, well...do see anything interesting?"

"Huh?" Neal questioned as he shifted his gaze from a big puffy cloud to Peter.

"Do you see anything in the clouds? Like an animal or something?"

"Oh." Neal quickly tore his eyes away from Peter, but instead of looking back up at the sky, he turned his head all the way to left. "No."

Peter drew his eyebrows up in confusion. "What do you mean no? Everybody can make out objects in the clouds. Like..." Peter stopped as he shielded his eyes from the sun and looked up into the sky. "that cloud right there. I see a horse. Do you see it?"

"No."

Peter looked back down at Neal who was still laying with his head turned to the left. "You'e not even looking at the sky. Of course, you don't see it. Look."

"No!" Neal shouted, before rolling over onto his side.

Peter was utterly confused. "Neal, why won't you look at the clouds now?"

"I don't want to."

"Why?"

But Peter never received an answer. Gently taking Neal by the shoulder he rolled the boy back over onto his back.

"Neal?"

"My daddy use to do that." Came the soft reply.

Peter was prepared for a number of responses, was even expecting an outrageous one, but he never would have expected the one he got. Neal had only spoken of his father once or twice since Peter had ever known him, and even then it wasn't an open conversation.

Peter didn't know what to say, so he settled with a dumb question. "Do what?"

"Find things in the clouds with me."

"Oh, well that doesn't mean you can't find them now, does it?"

"Yes."

"Why is that?"

Neal blinked at Peter for a second, then sat up from the ground. "Because I don't want to find them with you."

Being an FBI agent, Peter is used to dealing with disappointments, seeing heart-breaking things, but that response did more damage than a bullet tearing through his shoulder.

"Oh. Ok, well I'll go sit back over there. You can play for a few more minutes before we leave." Peter replied, trying hard to sound casual and unfazed.

"I wanna go now." Neal responded as he stood up.

"Ok. Ok, we can leave now."

Peter stood up and began walking back to the car after he made sure Neal was following beside him. He fished his keys out of his pocket and hit the unlock button, before opening the back door of the vehicle for Neal. The problem was that Neal wasn't there. Peter's head shot up and he scanned the playground frantically before his eyes rested on the kid standing a few feet in front of the car. Peter let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.

"What?" He questioned.

He watched Neal stand as still as he had ever seen him stand. The little boy bit his bottom lip then swallowed thickly.

"Are you going to give me away?"

Peter felt the air forced from his lungs in a disbelieving laugh. "Come again?"

"If...if I don't change back, are you going to give me away?"

Peter found himself at a loss for words once more. He shook his head. "Neal...buddy." Peter closed the door of the Taurus and walked over to the little boy and kneeled down so he was eye level with him. "First off, you're going to change back. Mozzie...he is...getting close to figuring it out." Truth was that Peter wasn't sure how much progress Mozzie had made since two days ago, but he felt better telling Neal that then not saying anything. "Second, if by some crazy chance that you don't, we're not just going to give you away."

"Are you going to leave?"

"No. Kiddo, nobody is going anywhere, okay? Not you, not me. Not Elizabeth, not Mozzie. Alright?"

Neal nodded his head.

"Good." Peter patted Neal's side and ruffled his hair before standing up and getting Neal in the car.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth and Peter watched Neal jump down from his chair at the dinning room table from where they sat on the other side.<p>

"Where are you going Neal?" El asked. "We haven't had dessert yet."

"I want to go outside." He replied, trotting over to the front door and reaching for the door knob he could only reach if he stood on his tiptoes.

"Um.." Elizabeth started, but Peter cut her off.

"It's ok. We can eat dessert outside." Peter stood from the table and made his way over to the front door and opening it for the small boy.

Elizabeth shook her head in confusion. "O-ok. Well, at least make sure he puts on a jacket, honey."

"Ok." Peter called, as he flipped on the porch light and grabbed Neal's coat from the closet.

Once the little boy was bundled up, the agent opened the door and followed Neal outside onto the front porch.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth placed a scoop of strawberry ice cream in a small kids bowl and two scoops in a regular bowl, placed spoons in each and went to take it to Peter and Neal. She stopped at the door, placing the smaller bowl in the crook of her arm and opening the door with her now free hand. She was about to announce dessert but she stopped short and did her best not to make a sound.<p>

* * *

><p>Peter sat down beside Neal on the steps. "You wanted to come outside to sit on the porch? Are you feeling okay?" He questioned, with a slight chuckle.<p>

The little boy nodded his head, but didn't say anything. A few silent minutes passed, before Peter finally spoke up again. "Neal?"

Neal stood up. He jumped down on the next step and stood in front of Peter, putting his small hands on the agents knees and looked up at him.

"My daddy use to...play the cloud game with me." Neal stammered and bit his bottom lip. Peter just looked at him and waited for him to continue. "I..I don't want you to be like him."

Peter took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, before rubbing a hand down his face. He picked Neal up under the armpits and brought him up a step so he was closer.

"Neal, I'm not him and I'm not trying to be. Okay, bud?"

Neal bit his lip and nodded, but didn't say anything.

Peter looked into the blue eyes looking up at him and saw the sky Neal had refused to look at, out of fear that when he looked back down that his world would be gone. Peter wasn't sure what happened with Neal's father, but it didn't matter. Neal didn't need horse shaped clouds or his father or Peter to point them out. He just needed to be able to look at the sky without the world disappearing behind his back. Neal's childhood had been a magic trick and he grew up spending his whole life trying to figure out how they worked and perfecting them, not knowing that the greatest magic trick of all was in him.

Peter held out his hand, his palm facing Neal as if he wanted a high-five. The little boy eyed him questioningly.

"Hold your hand up." Peter instructed. Once Neal did, he said, "Now place it against mine."

It was a few seconds before a tiny hand was placed against his palm, the boy's fingertips barely reaching the bends on his knuckles. Neal looked at him, silently asking him what to do next.

"Now. Look up."

Neal slowly gazed up at the starry sky and and stared at it for a few minutes, then looked back at Peter.

"Stars are better than clouds anyway." The agent smiled at him, but noticed the boy was staring at their hands. Neal moved his hand up in attempt to make his as big as Peter's, but found that he couldn't.

Peter watched Neal and tried to figure out what the boy was thinking about, but was completely surprised when Neal shouted his wife's name.

" `Lizabef!" Neal climbed over Peter leg and scrambled up the steps to retrieve his dessert from Elizabeth who now stood at the door.

"Here you go, sweetheart. Can you take Peter's to him for me?"

"Uh huh."

She carefully handed Neal the other bowl and watched him slowly descend the steps and go back to standing in front of Peter. Her husband took the offered bowl from Neal, then wrapped an arm around the boy's waist and lifted him into his lap.

Together they sat, eating dessert and pointing to the stars with their spoons, finding various objects in the sky with their fears being the only thing that disappeared.

Elizabeth heard the phone ring and went back inside to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Good evening Mrs. Suit."

"Oh hey, Mozzie."

"Why isn't Mr. Suit answering his phone?"

"Oh, he's outside with Neal." Elizabeth replied before becoming tense. "Why? Did you find something?"

"Um...yeah. Listen, Elizabeth I need to talk to the suit." Mozzie replied, with a bit of hesitation.

"Mozzie, what is it? What did you find?"

"You know what, never mind. I'll be by shortly."

Before Elizabeth could reply, Mozzie had hung up. She went back to watching her boys from the doorway silently praying that Mozzie had good news, but in the back of her mind she was wondering if turning Neal back was the good news she was praying for or not.

**Let me know what you think!**


	6. Desperado

**I don't own White Collar but I do own a heart that loves it!**

**This chapter was inspired by turning on my iTunes shuffle and writing to the first song that played - Desperado by the Eagles**

Mozzie showed up a few hours later around midnight.

Elizabeth opened the door quickly, but quietly while putting a finger to her lips to tell Mozzie to be quiet as well. He nodded and followed Elizabeth to the kitchen, where they could speak.

"Peter is upstairs with Neal. He isn't feeling well. He's been running a low fever for about an hour."

"The suit or Neal?"

"Neal." Elizabeth answered pouring a glass of water for herself and Mozzie. She froze in the middle of pouring the second glass and turned to Mozzie with a fearful expression. "This isn't what you had to say was it? That Neal would get sick?"

"Oh. No, no." Mozzie shook his head, detecting the apprehension radiating off of Mrs. Suit. "I'm sure it's uh, just a bug or something. Kids get sick all the time." He smiled, hoping it was reassuring. He kept finding it harder and harder to lie to Elizabeth.

"Good." She poured the rest of the glass and handed it to Mozzie. "So um, what did you find out?"

"Don't you want to wait for the suit?"

"We can tell him when he comes downstairs from getting Neal to sleep. Now what is it?"

"Well it's just that I think you guys should really start considering what you're going to do with Neal if, by chance, he doesn't change back."

"Mozzie...what-"

"It's just that research is showing that it could go either way. I can't find a definite answer. Only time will tell. It seems that if he hasn't changed back in a month since the incident, he won't...change back."

"A month?" Elizabeth stammered. "So what...we still have..a little less than three weeks?"

"Yeah. About."

Elizabeth nodded and took a deep breath.

"Elizabeth...what are you and the Suit going to do if he doesn't change back?"

"I don't know, Moz. I don't know. But I can promise you that neither Peter nor I would ever abandon him. Whatever happens, we're going to be here."

Although Elizabeth felt her chest constrict with fear, pressure and stress, Mozzie breathed a little easier.

* * *

><p>Peter sat upstairs in "Neal's" bedroom, in a rocking chair that Elizabeth had moved to the corner of the guest bedroom when this whole incident had started. He gently rocked the chair forwards and backwards by pushing back on the balls of his feet. He positioned a small pillow on the wooden arm rest of the chair so his elbow would have something soft to rest on as he held Neal to his chest.<p>

The small boy was laying on his stomach along Peter's chest and torso. Neal's head was securely tucked under his chin, the soft, dark brown curls tickled Peter's jawline but the agent didn't dare move him. Instead, he ran his hand through the unruly locks that were slowly being soaked with a low fever-induced sweat, while his right arm encircled the boy and held him close and kept him from falling into the floor when Peter rocked forwards.

Neal fidgeted in his light, uncomfortable sleep every few minutes, but would settled down when Peter spoke to him, while rocking a bit more. Peter sighed, trying to loosen the worry that settled in his chest. Although Elizabeth had assured him that it was probably just a small bug and would be gone in a couple of days with some medicine, he couldn't help worry it was something else. After all, people don't just turn back into three year olds and expect to be one hundred percent. But the agent shook his head, he couldn't afford to think like that.

Neal started to stir and let out a small whimper as he buried himself further into Peter's chest. The agent shushed him, but it didn't have the desired effect anymore. The boy was becoming more and more agitated and the last thing Peter wanted was for Neal to wake up and suffer the aches and chills of a fever. So he did what Elizabeth had done when Neal got hurt. He sang to him.

At first, he hummed awkwardly, embarrassed by even singing to a toddler. But as Neal kept wiggling, his voice began getting stronger and he finally picked a song to sing.

_Desperado,_

_Why don't you come to your senses?_

_You've been out ridin' fences for so long now_

_Oh, you're a hard one_

_But I know that you've got your reasons_

_These things that are pleasin' you can hurt you somehow_

_Don't you draw the Queen of Diamonds boy_

_She'll beat you if she's able_

_You know the Queen of Hearts is always your best bet_

_Now it seems to me some fine things have been laid upon your table_

_But you only want the ones that you can't get_

_Desperado,_

_Woah you ain't gettin' no younger_

Peter snorted at the irony, but continued to sing.

_Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home_

_Freedom, oh, freedom, well that's just some people talkin'_

_Your prison is walking through this world all alone_

Peter rested his head against the top of Neal's as he continued to rock and sing.

_Don't your feet get cold in the winter time_

_The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine_

_It's hard to tell the night time from the day_

_You're losin' all your highs and lows_

_Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away?_

_Desperado,_

_Why don't you come to your senses?_

_Come down from your fences_

_Open the gate_

_It may be rainin'_

_But there's a rainbow above you_

_You better let somebody love you_

_Let somebody love you_

_You better let somebody love you _

_Before it's too late_

The agent closed his eyes and listened to Neal's evened breathing indicating the boy was asleep. He felt his forehead and under his shirt on his back to check if his temperature had changed. Once he was satisfied that it hadn't gone up, he decided that he still couldn't leave Neal and leaned back farther in the chair and lifted his legs to rest them on a box in front of him, before laying his head back, closing his eyes and joining Neal in sleep.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth and Mozzie silently peeked around the doorframe, and instantly noticed Peter holding Neal close to him while he rocked him. It wasn't until the agent started singing that they both ducked back into the hallway and quietly listened to the song that Peter was using as a lullaby.<p>

Mozzie awkwardly locked eyes with Elizabeth who bit her lip trying to hide the smile that threatened to spread across her face. They both waited for Peter to stop singing before peeking back around the doorframe. When El saw her husband attempting to go to sleep, she nudged Mozzie back into the hallway and motioned for him to follow her back downstairs.

"We can tell Peter the news in the morning. He's worried himself enough today with Neal getting sick. He deserves the little sleep he will get tonight."

Mozzie nodded in silent agreement, before turning to leave.

"Mozzie?"

He stopped mid-stride at the hopeful tone in Elizabeth's voice.

"Would you like a cup of coffee? A glass of wine? I could make you something to eat, if you want."

Anyone else may have taken it as just a friendly gesture, in order not to appear rude, but Mozzie understood that Elizabeth's offer wasn't just to satisfy his thirst or hunger that he didn't even have, but to satisfy her nerves and keep her company.

He smiled a knowing smile, before making his way back into the kitchen and starting up a friendly conversation, all the while in the back of his mind he kept wondering if this was how life was going to be from now on.

**AN: The song that Peter sings to Neal, just in case you don't know it is Desperado by the Eagles. I know this chapter is short but I promise more to come much sooner than they have been in the past. So here's where this author's note gets important! What do you guys think should happen to Neal? Does he change back? Does he not? I'm not going to make this a dark fic in anyway! So nothing horrible is going to happen to Neal, but I think some humorous moments are up in the next chapter or so! Definitely more bonding moments with Peter, Elizabeth AND Mozzie! Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Your reviews are so incredibly kind! Thank you so so so much for taking the time to let me know what you think and just for reading this crazy story! Here's another chapter because you guys just simply deserve it! Hope you enjoy!**

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><p>Neal was sick for the next two days but on the third day he felt significantly better though he wore out easily. However, the Burkes were faced with another problem.<p>

"Peter, I can't watch Neal today. I have to go into work, then run across the city to meet a new potential high-end client."

"El, I have to go to work today too! Can't you take Neal with you?"

Elizabeth laughed a disbelieving laugh. "Honey, I am not taking a three year old to a client meeting! If that were the case, I should just pick up the phone and cancel the meeting all together."

"Well, what are we going to do?"

"Take him to work with you." Elizabeth suggested hesitantly.

"Oh no! What about June?"

"She's out of town."

"Mozzie?"

"You really want to leave a three year old Neal in the hands of Mozzie all day?"

"No, good point. Now what?"

"Peter, come on! He's been dying to go to work with you! It'll do him some good to do something normal for once!"

"Honey, the Bureau still thinks he is sick! What am I going to do, walk in and say hey everybody! Neal's back, but instead of a tracking anklet he needs a daycare!"

"No, just tell them he's my...nephew! Besides, you said it yourself you had to explain things to Hughes. I doubt he's going to believe you if you don't have evidence."

Peter glared at her, then rolled his eyes and ran his hands over his face.

"This is going to be a nightmare."

* * *

><p>"Neal?" Peter called, as he stepped through the doorframe of Neal's bedroom. He looked around but didn't see the boy, but he heard rustling coming from under the bed and after a few seconds small legs covered in flannel police car pajama pants shimmied out from underneath the piece of furniture followed by the rest of the boy's body. Neal sat back on his bottom and twisted around to look up at Peter.<p>

The agent couldn't help but smile at the sight of Neal's hair all tangled up and little curls sticking out every which way. He raised an amused, yet curious brow. "What were you doing under there?"

"Satchymo's toy is under there." Neal explained, ducking back down to look under the bed.

"Oh, well leave it for now. We gotta talk about something."

Neal sat back up and looked up at Peter with wide questioning eyes.

"You haven't done anything wrong...at least that I'm aware of." Peter stared Neal down teasingly, but Neal shook his head vigorously.

"Good. Come on. Sit up here." Peter patted the edge of the bed and watched as Neal climbed up on it, his little tongues sticking out in effort as he did so. Once Neal was sitting in front of where Peter had squatted down, the agent took a deep breath.

"Are you still feeling okay?"

"Uh huh." Neal nodded.

"Good. Neal, Elizabeth can't watch you today. And I-"

"Why?" Neal interjected.

"Because she has to meet a client. But uh...you're going to um...go to work with me." Peter stated hesitantly as if he still could back out of taking Neal with him.

" 'Weally?" Neal asked, sitting up a bit straighter and his smile a bit wider.

Peter took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, but listen to me. You have to do _**exactly **_as I say. Do you understand?"

Neal was bouncing up and down on his bottom while sitting on the bed and nodding his head. "Yes! When can we leave Petew?"

One look at Neal's bright blue eyes and excited energy told Peter that Neal had no intention of following Peter's orders. He sighed and chewed on his lip, before an idea hit him.

"Neal, guess what!"

"What?"

"We're going to...to run a con."

Neal's jaw dropped, but his eyes lit up with excitement. "Weally?"

"Yes. You see, you're alias is going to be Elizabeth's nephew from Philadelphia named Riley."

"Wiley?" Neal asked, cocking his head to the side if thinking it over. Peter chuckled as Neal turned the 'R' to a 'W'. People would buy it for sure.

"Yes, Riley. You're still three and you're just staying with Elizabeth and I for the next two or three weeks, while your parents are on vacation. Got it?"

"Wiley. Three. 'Lizabef's nephew. Pawents on vaction. Got it!"

"Good. Now just stick to it okay?"

"Petew." Neal replied with a look that told Peter it wasn't his first time running using an alias.

"Okay. Okay." The agent stood up and motioned for Neal to follow. "Come on, let's eat breakfast, then we can get ready for work."

* * *

><p>Neal sat on Peter and Elizabeth's bed, while Peter pulled a light blue button up from his closet and put it on. As he tucked it into his pants, he asked Neal to grab a pair of socks from the bottom drawer of the dresser, then grabbed his shoes and sat down on the bed. Neal walked back over to the bed and held out the pair of sock.<p>

Peter took them and unfolded them. It was only until he pulled them apart that he realized that Neal had brought him the pair of puppy dog socks that Elizabeth had gotten him one year for Christmas.

"Neal...these socks -" He was about to say that they didn't go with his suit because he didn't want to wear them, but when he looked at Neal he just couldn't do it. " -are perfect."

_God, I'm going soft. _Peter thought as he put on his socks and shoes. Once he was finished he looked back at Neal.

"Okay, now help me pick out a tie."

The agent picked Neal up and took him over to the closet, where his ties were. He showed Neal the small shelf they were organized on and watched as Neal looked at his shirt then back to the ties. He ran his tiny index finger across them in inspection before choosing a pink one and handing to Peter. "This one."

"Really? You're sure?" Peter asked, kind of hoping he would have picked something else. Neal nodded his head enthusiastically.

"Alright then. Now it's your turn."

Peter put Neal down, silently thanking Elizabeth for giving Neal a bath last night, and followed Neal to his room.

Peter got out khakis and a hunter green long sleeve shirt from Neal's closet and laid them on the bed next to Neal. The little boy looked at the outfit then up at Peter with a blank expression.

"What?" The older man asked completely oblivious what was wrong. Neal jumped off the bed and walked over to the closet. He pulled a box out and stood on top of it. Standing on his tiptoes he reached up and yanked something off the hanger and brought it back to Peter who had watched him the whole time.

"Neal.."

"I wanna wear this!"

Peter took it from Neal and sighed. "Neal I know you do, but remember your alias? Riley from Philadelphia doesn't wear suits. Neal Caffrey does, but you're not Neal Caffrey."

Neal hung his shoulders. "Does Wiley from Philly have to wear this shirt?"

Peter shook his head and couldn't help but laugh. "No, I don't guess." He took the white dress shirt from the suit and handed it to Neal.

The little boy stared at it. "I'll look like I'm taking a family pictuwe on the beach."

Peter rolled his eyes and took the shirt back, before retrieving a dark blue polo and pulling it over Neal's head and sticking his arms through the holes. Neal opened his mouth, but Peter beat him to it. "Riley is going to wear this and Riley is going to like it."

"Wiley likes it." Neal said.

* * *

><p>Peter unbuckled Neal and helped him from the car.<p>

"Okay. Remember, you're Riley, Elizabeth's nephew from Philly. Three years old. Your parents are on vacation for three weeks."

"I got it, Uncle Petew."

They shared a look before heading into the Bureau.

* * *

><p>"He's what?" Hughes deadpanned.<p>

"I know it sounds crazy! I know you're thinking about sending me down for a psych evaluation, but just listen." Peter tried to reason as he sat in front of Hughes.

* * *

><p>"So, Riley? You're Peter's nephew?" Diana asked, eyeing the toddler across the table from her in the conference room.<p>

"Uh huh. Uncle Petew married Aunt 'Lizabef!"

Diana was about to respond, when Jones walked in.

"Woah, who's the little guy?"

"Hi, Jones!" Neal shouted out, but immediately got quiet.

Diana and Jones stared at him.

"How do you know who he is, Riley?"

"Uh...Uncle Petew, told me about him and...and you too!"

"Uncle Peter?" Jones questioned.

"Yeah, he's Elizabeth's nephew from Philly." Diana replied, but both Jones and Neal could hear the doubt in her voice.

* * *

><p>"Peter...I've known you for a long time and I don't know if Caffrey has finally made you crack or what, but..."<p>

"I'm telling you Resse, that boy is Neal. Ask him anything and he can tell you the answer!

"Okay. Bring him in here."

* * *

><p>Neal answered every question Hughes asked, but still Hughes just couldn't believe it.<p>

"Neal, go back to Diana for a minute okay?" Peter instructed once Hughes was done asking questions. Neal slowly climbed off Peter's lap and rubbed tiredly at his eyes, but did as he was told. Peter watched him through the glass until he saw Diana engage Neal in a conversation again.

"Peter...just...take care of him and keep me updated." Hughes said, rubbing his forehead.

"I will, sir." Peter stood, but didn't leave the office. "What happens to Neal if he doesn't change back?"

Hughes snorted and shook his head. "Let's cross that bridge if we come to it."

* * *

><p>"You look familiar, Riley." Diana told him.<p>

"I do?"

"Yeah, you look like a guy that works here. His name is Neal."

"Neal? That's a cool name."

* * *

><p>Diana was watching the boy like a hawk, when Peter walked back into the conference room.<p>

"Everything going good in here?"

"Uh huh." Neal said.

"Hey, Riley. Will you take this file to Jones?" Diana asked him.

"Suwe."

The agents watched him go, before Diana looked back at Peter.

"You never told me you had a nephew."

"Well, he's Elizabeth's nephew really. He lives in Philly, so we don't see him except holidays sometimes and a vacation like now."

"Oh, yeah I get it. Same with my family. You know, this is going to sound crazy but he looks a lot like Caffrey!"

Peter laughed an awkward laugh. "Yeah...that is crazy."

Diana raised an eyebrow, but didn't get the chance to reply because Riley ran back into the conference room and clung to Peter's leg for dear life. The boy was shaking and burying his face in the side of Peter' leg.

"Riley? What's wrong?" Diana asked before Peter could, but Neal looked up at Agent Burke.

"The mawshalls awe hewe! Petew, pwease don't make let them take me. I - I don't have my twacker on, but- but I'm with you!"

Diana's jaw dropped as she stared at the boy and agent. She was speechless when Peter picked the boy up and held him.

"Neal. Neal, calm down. It's ok. You're alright. I'll take care of it. Remember what I told you, nobody's going anywhere buddy." Peter rubbed the boy's back, lost in his own world consoling a panicked Neal, when suddenly he remembered Diana.

His head shot up and he looked at his agent.

"Diana...I can explain-" But the sight of the marshall's coming up the stairs stopped him. "But not right now. Just watch him for me for a second, okay? I'll explain everything later."

Peter detached Neal from himself and handed him to Diana who took him in slow motion, before heading out of the conference room to meet the U.S. Marshals.

"Agent Burke, just the man we needed to see." One of the Marshals said.

"What can I do for you?"

"We were checking up on your consultant's tracking information and we noticed that Neal has been at the same location for the past week."

"He's been really sick. He caught the flu. Nasty stuff." Peter replied with ease.

"We also noticed that the location he's been staying at is in fact your house, Agent Burke."

"Ah, well yes. The paperwork wouldn't be to pleasant if I let my C.I. die of influenza. It's no secret he doesn't follow orders to a tee, so to make sure he follows doctor's orders, my wife and I are watching him."

"Dr. Burke. How nice. You won't mind if my partner and I stop by...you know just to make sure you haven't strangled him or something."

Peter hesitated for only a second. "Well, no. Stop by if you like, but I don't see why you would want to. He's been throwing up for days and the doctor says it is highly contagious. Elizabeth and I have been taking vitamins and disinfecting everything, but she wasn't feeling too good this morning so she is probably coming down with it, but stop by if you want."

The marshals shared a look before the other one responded. "Just let us know when he comes back to work."

Peter hid the smile that threatened to spread across his face. "Will do."

* * *

><p>Peter walked back into the conference room to find Diana sitting beside Neal at the table. He could tell she was trying to say something funny because Neal was trying not to laugh.<p>

"Hey." He said letting his presence be known.

Both agent and boy turned to look at him with a questioning gaze.

"Everything's fine." He watched both of them let out a breath. Neal rested his head in his left hand on the table and continued to draw on the paper Diana had given him. Peter could tell he was tired and bet that he wasn't feeling well again based on the paleness of his skin.

He walked over to Neal and squatted down while looking at the picture he was drawing. It was a picture of Satchmo. "That's really good, Neal. Even at three you're a pro."

He laughed, but Neal just smirked and rubbed at his eyes with his left hand.

"Listen, buddy. Give me ten minutes and we will head home okay?"

Even though he knew Neal didn't feel well he expected the boy to protest, but he didn't. Instead, Neal just nodded his head and lazily finished drawing the dog's tail.

Peter patted his back, before standing up and motioning for Diana to follow.

Once in Peter's office, Diana turned to Peter.

"Peter, what's going on?"

"Honestly, I don't know. He was with Mozzie when it happened...something about a curse. All I know is what Mozzie has told me and it isn't much except that he has a little more than three weeks left to ...be a three year old. He's supposed to change back, but if he doesn't...then I don't know."

Diana just stared at him for a minute, before laughing. "You're joking!"

Peter just stared at her.

"You're serious?"

Peter nodded. "Listen, nobody can know about this. Hughes, you, Mozzie, Elizabeth and me are the only ones who know and it has to stay that way. For the next three weeks, at the office he is my nephew, Riley. Got it?"

"Not really, but yeah." Diana stated, still unsure of the whole situation.

"Thanks. Listen, I am going to take him home. He has been sick the past few days and I think it's starting to catch up with him. Plus, I don't think the marshals helped any."

"Ok." Diana nodded, and watched Peter head through the door to the conference room. "Hey Peter."

"Yeah?" He stopped right before going through the door.

"If you need anything, anything at all, you can come to me. I've taken care of my little cousins plenty of times, so you know..."

"Thank you, Diana." Peter nodded, truly grateful for her loyalty and as much understanding as she could give. "Thank you."

* * *

><p>"Neal, we're home." Peter woke the boy up and helped him from the car. As soon as Neal's feet hit the pavement, he took off running towards the door and waited for Peter to unlock the door. The agent raised an eyebrow at the behavior but thought nothing else of it. That was until Peter sat down beside Neal on the couch an hour later.<p>

Neal had been watching cartoons for an hour, never getting off the couch and never saying a word. He never even laughed at any of the funny parts of the show he was watching.

"Hey, bud." He said as he sat down beside the boy. "Are you still feeling okay?"

Neal nodded, but said nothing.

"You want to go to the park before it gets dark? We can take Satchmo."

Neal just shook his head in a negative manner.

"No? You never turn down the park. Are you sure?"

Neal nodded, but never said a word. He just kept staring at the TV.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, Peter heard Elizabeth come through the front door.<p>

"Hey, Honey." She greeted. "How was today?" She asked, noticing Neal sitting on the couch watching cartoons.

"Uh, it was...fine." He motioned for her to follow him into the kitchen.

"Hey, Neal." She greeted on her way by.

"Hi."

She looked at Peter with a questioning look and followed him into the kitchen.

"Is he feeling okay?" She asked, once out of earshot.

"He's not running a fever and he says he feels fine."

"Did everything go okay at work today?"

"Yeah, about as good as possible. Hughes and Diana know. Understand...well that is a different story but they know. But the marshals showed up, asking about Neal staying here for the past week. It scared Neal a bit, but they aren't curious anymore."

"Oh. Well do you think that's why he is so quiet?"

"Maybe. He turned down going to the park though."

"Hmm. Maybe he is tired." Elizabeth stated, but doubt filled her mind. Neal played until he fell asleep in the floor. "Hey, let's go see if he wants to go out for dinner. I don't feel like cooking."

Peter and Elizabeth walked back into the living room.

"Hey Neal, do you want to go out for dinner?"

Neal shook his head.

"Are you sure? You can pick the restaurant." Elizabeth tried.

Neal shook his head again.

"Come on, it'll be fun."

This time Neal looked at them and shouted 'No' before jumping off the couch and running up the stairs.

Elizabeth looked at Peter, before they quickly followed after him.

They found him hiding curled up under his bed, holding Satchmo's toy to his chest with tears running down his face.

Elizabeth got down on her knees and pulled the comforter up to see Neal.

"Neal, baby, what's wrong?"

Neal shook his head.

"Sweetheart, what is it? You can tell us. It's ok."

Neal sniffled and wiped at his eyes.

"I- I don't want to go anywhere."

"O-okay." Elizabeth replied, trying to hide her concern. "We can stay here tonight. That's fine. We can go out tomorrow night."

"No!"

Elizabeth jumped at the shout. She looked at Peter who looked just as confused and worried as her. She took a deep breath before turning her attention back to Neal.

"Okay. You don't have to go." She assured, hesitantly. "Just come out from under there, alright."

Neal slowly crawled out from under the bed and into Elizabeth's arms that instantly wrapped around him. "It's okay, baby. It's okay."

Elizabeth assured him, while looking up at Peter with worry. Peter mirrored her expression as they both worried about and wondered why Neal was now afraid to leave the house.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay, first and foremost, the season finale was incredibly insane and beautifully perfect! Summer needs to be here tomorrow! Anyway! Thanks for reading and let me know what you think! :D<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning found Elizabeth struggling to get Neal ready so they could meet Peter for lunch.

"Neal. Stop it. I will not ask you again to be still. Understood?"

Neal stopped wiggling around, taken back by El's sudden commanding tone. He shrank back a bit, but let the woman pull a sweater over his head and comb his hair.

"See. That wasn't so hard." She said, her tone still a bit frustrated. "Now, I have to let Satchmo out for a minute, then we will be ready to leave, ok?"

Neal just shrugged, and followed her downstairs.

* * *

><p>"Alright, Neal. Let's go." Elizabeth called as she locked the back door once Satchmo came back in. She just heard silence. "Neal?"<p>

El made her way into the living room where Neal was laying on his stomach on the couch staring off into space. She raised an eyebrow and knelt down next to him. She brushed a curl away from his eyes. "Sweetheart, what are you doing?"

Neal swallowed thickly and turned his face into the couch. "I don't feel good."

His response was muffled by the cushions, but El still heard it. However she wasn't to convinced. Neal had been putting up a fight to not leave the house all morning. "You don't?"

Neal shook his head, and laid it back down so he could look at her. El placed her hand across his forehead, then on his back.

"Well, you aren't running a fever and you seemed to be feeling good enough to put up an argument about getting dressed. I guess I'll just call Peter and tell him we can't meet him."

"Okay." Neal replied way too quickly he realized.

"Yeah, I'll have to tell him I am taking you to the doctor." Elizabeth played, knowing all to well that Neal Caffrey, despite his drastic change in age, was trying to con her, although she had no idea what for or why.

"No!" Neal shouted as he shot up into a seated position. "Uh, I mean, no. I don't...feel that bad. We can still meet Petew."

"You sure?" El asked, innocently. "If you're really not feeling well, you need to go to the doctor."

Neal nodded his head.

"Okay then. Let's go." She replied, trying to keep the victorious smile off her face. She grabbed her purse and cell phone from the table, before heading to the front door. Once they stepped outside and El had locked the door, she turned to make her way down the porch but was surprised when Neal's small hand latched on to hers and he practically leaned against her as they walked towards the end of the sidewalk to hail a cab.

* * *

><p>"Alright, I've got to go to the bathroom before we leave." Peter said after chewing the last bite of his meal.<p>

"Alright, Neal and I will get in line to pay. We will meet you outside, unless Neal has to go to the bathroom. Do you sweetie?"

Neal shook his head. "Nope."

"Ok. I'll meet you guys outside." Peter confirmed before standing from the table and making his way to the restroom.

"Alright Neal, are you finished with your lunch?"

"Yep!" Neal replied, eating the last bite of macaroni and cheese and grinning at Elizabeth.

"I take it you liked it?" She chuckled, handing him a napkin to wipe the cheese off his mouth.

"Uh huh!"

"Good. Alright, let's go get in line. If we hurry, you can get a cookie and have it eaten before Peter finds out." She winked mischievously at the small boy as she helped him from the booth.

"I want a sugaw cookie!"

"You got it!"

Elizabeth handed the waitress their receipt at the counter and told her she would like to add a cookie to the bill. As she dug out exact change in her purse she felt Neal bump into her leg, then wrap his arms around it. She chuckled thinking he was hugging her. "What are you-" She started to ask but when she saw Neal was actually hiding from something, she followed his gaze to behind her and noticed a man a few years older than Peter standing there in a police uniform waiting to pay for his lunch. He noticed her and smiled at her, offering her a polite greeting, before spotting Neal.

"Hey, Buddy." He greeted with a smile as he squatted down to be eye level with him. "What's your name?"

Neal hugged Elizabeth's leg tighter and took a step back to hide a bit more behind her legs. Elizabeth looked down at him when he didn't respond and chuckled. "Now you are shy?" She looked back to the officer and said an apology, before turning around and retrieving the cookie she had been waiting on.

"It's alright." The officer replied with a friendly smile. "Be good for your mom, kiddo and enjoy that cookie." He reached out to ruffle Neal's hair, but Neal wanted no part of it. He let out a loud gasp as the officer's hand came toward him and took a step backwards, tripping over Elizabeth's feet and landing on his bottom.

Elizabeth and the officer were stunned, as they watched Neal scramble back away from the cop. It wasn't until El noticed the boy's bottom lip start to quiver that she snapped out of her trance.

"Neal!" She exclaimed, as she scooped him up from the floor. He instantly buried his face in her neck and hugged her for dear life.

"I'm sorry, ma'am! I didn't-"

"No, no! It's okay. He's alright. He's just...shy." She tried to explain, though she had no idea why Neal reacted that way. "Please, excuse us."

"Of course, have a good day ma'am. Again, I'm sorry."

* * *

><p>Peter walked out of the restaurant and skimmed the sidewalk for his wife and Neal. He spotted them sitting on a bench a few feet away and made his way over. He could tell that Elizabeth was talking to Neal, but the little boy was more interested in the pattern he swung his legs in, than what El was saying. When he finally reached them, El's face told Peter something had happened.<p>

"What's going on?"

Elizabeth looked at him with complete disbelief while shrugging her shoulder and shaking her head.

"A police officer was just trying to be nice and talk to him while we were in line. When he reached out to ruffle his hair... he..." She stopped and pointed to Neal to indicate his current state.

Peter scrunched his brow up in confusion. Then yesterday's events came back to him. Neal did something similar when the marshals showed up. He must have showed realization on his face because Elizabeth was breaking him out of his thoughts asking him what it was about.

"The marshals. The cop." Peter mouthed, held up his hand for her to wait a minute before sitting down beside. "Neal, are you alright?"

Neal just nodded his head.

"You know that officer was just being friendly, right? He wasn't going to do anything to you."

"I - I know." Neal replied and could tell it wasn't convincing. He turned to Elizabeth for a distraction. " 'Lizabef can I have my cookie, now?"

"Sure, honey." She retrieved the cookie from the bag and handed it to him.

"Cookie?" Peter asked with a tint of hopefulness.

"Neal's the only one who gets dessert at lunch, today." She chuckled at Peter's disappointed look.

"You can have half of mine, Petew." Neal offered as he broke his cookie into two pieces and handed one to the agent. The older man smiled, but declined. "No, buddy. Go ahead and eat it. Thanks, though." Neal shrugged and began to nibble on the treat.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth and Neal walked back to the Bureau with Peter and said nothing more on the matter until they were standing half a block away from the building and Neal started to take notice of where they were. Agents and officers that Neal either knew or had never seen before were walking in and out of the building heading in all directions, including towards him. He walked closer to Elizabeth, who had a hold of his hand and felt himself shudder when he felt that all too familiar feeling of fear inside his chest. This is exactly why he didn't want to leave the house. It was as if his childish mind could only comprehend the existence of police as people who wanted to put him away, lock him up and take him away from the people that cared about him. The marshals had been looking for him, that police officer at the restaurant had reached out to take him and now Peter and Elizabeth were just handing him over to them. He took a shuddering breath as an agent passed them and greeted Peter, but when another one stopped to talk, Neal couldn't handle it.<p>

He ripped his hand away from Elizabeth's grip and took off running. He heard Elizabeth shout his name, followed by Peter demanding him to stop, but he wouldn't do it, he couldn't do it. He couldn't let them put him in prison again. However, the longer he ran, the more strangers legs he ran by and bumped into, the farther he got away from Peter and Elizabeth, only made his fear multiply. Eventually the panic controlling his mind, seized his muscles and he stopped running. He looked around for Peter and Elizabeth, but all he saw were strangers. They were glancing at him and walking around him. He stumbled left and right trying to get away but he was trapped in the mob of people who had just crossed the street on the crosswalk with nowhere to go.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth was startled by Neal's hand slipping from hers and for a split second she looked frantically around her legs for the little boy but he was nowhere to be found. Finally, she looked up at spotted his tiny legs in a group of people walking away from them. She yelled for him and by that time Peter had realized Neal was gone too. They both stepped forward to chase after him, his legs still visible amongst the group of people he was, but that was shortly lived as the crosswalk light changed and a mob of people came across the street at a different direction. Elizabeth felt her heart drop even more if it was possible as the two groups met, people bumping into each other trying to go different directions all while Neal was somewhere in the middle.<p>

* * *

><p>Peter watched in horror for a split second as Neal disappeared in the crowd, but he soon found himself running forward and shoving his way through. He searched the ground and people's arms for the little boy, <em>his <em>little boy, but he kept coming up empty. With each passing second, Peter found himself falling into a dark hole with no way out. His nightmare from a few nights ago was coming back to haunt him in the worst way imaginable as images of an injured Neal flashed in his mind, a life without the little boy or grown man in his life played out in his head and the hole he was falling into became deeper, but suddenly he found himself back on the sidewalk, back in reality, a reality with Neal back in his arms.

* * *

><p>Diana had just set foot outside the Bureau when she spotted Peter, Elizabeth and Riley. <em>'No, Neal'<em> she corrected herself. She was making her way over when she saw Neal dash away from Elizabeth and into the New York City crowd. Still being close to the building meant that she could reach Neal faster than Peter or Elizabeth could and she acted on it. She could still see him, but only in glimpses as people walked around him. She saw the crosswalk let the oncoming crowd across the street and for a second she couldn't breathe as she ran towards Neal. The two crowds mixed as soon she reached them. She shoved her way through them, shouting for the little boy with her arms outstretched just in case he came within reach of her fingertips. In a fraction of second the little boy launched himself into her grasp and she held him as tight as she could until Peter took him from her arms.

"Neal." Peter breathed out in relief as he held the boy for dear life. He took in the smell of the children's shampoo that lingered on the brown curls under his nose for a second before pulling back to look at the boy he thought he may never see again. Elizabeth stood beside them, her hand running through the boys hair as she assured herself that Neal was safe.

"Why?" The word left Peter's mouth with such disbelief, such disappointment that Neal found himself wiggling to get down. Peter held him tighter. "Why would you do something like this, Neal?"

"Let...let me go." Neal pleaded, his tiny hands pushing at Peter's arms. He couldn't face Peter's disappointment.

"Let..." Peter breathed the word with incredulity. "Let you go?" Peter laughed but no humor was present. The hysterics of the situation were weighing down on him. He started nodding his head up and down as he tried to contain his frustration. He wiped a hand down his face and smiled in disbelief. "Fine. Fine. Let you go. Okay. Here you go."

Peter placed Neal on the ground and stood there looking at him, waiting for the boy to do something. "Well?"

Neal just stared up at him with big blue eyes that were quickly lining with water. He had never felt more confused in his life. Part of him, the childish part of him, wanted nothing more than for Peter to keep him safe, to chase away all the things he couldn't run away from. But the other part of him, what was left of his adult emotions, begged for Mozzie, begged for his partner in crime that would never let him be locked away, would never let the key to his chains disappear.

"Peter!" Elizabeth exclaimed before turning to Neal. "Baby, it's ok. You scared us, Neal. We-"

"I want to go home." Neal stated cutting her off.

It was then that Peter became rational again. Looking at Neal, he realized that the fear he felt was nothing compared to what Neal was going through. He closed his eyes and blew out a breath.

"Ok. I'll take you home. Peter we will uh... see you this afternoon."

Peter nodded and kissed his wife, but Neal caught them off guard.

"Not your home. _My _home. I want to go to June's. I want Mozzie." Neal demanded, but as soon as the words left his mouth he was unsure if he meant them. He couldn't bring himself to look at the agent or his wife. Peter and Elizabeth just stood there, the sting of the words being harsher than any three year old should be able to make.

Diana broke the awkward silence that covered them. "Neal, June is out of town, but I'm sure that Mozzie can come to see you at Peter and Elizabeth's house."

Elizabeth finally found her voice though it wasn't very confident. "Of course. We will call Mozzie on our way back to...our house. Okay, Neal?"

Neal waited a second before agreeing.

"Alright. Well, I'll see you guys later. Bye, Hon." Peter stated somewhat monotone. "Bye, Neal."

Neal quickly glanced up at the older man, but couldn't make eye contact. He mumbled good-bye, before Elizabeth took his hand in hers and began walking away. He kept his head down and let El guide him to where he needed to walk, but before they turned the corner he risked looking back towards the FBI in small hopes of finding Peter was coming with them. But when he was rewarded with empty space where the older man had stood moments before, he felt his hopes slide down his face in small tears.

* * *

><p>"Thank you for coming, Mozzie." El greeted with less enthusiasm than the short, bald man was use to.<p>

"Of course. Where is he?" He asked waisting no time getting to the point as he stepped inside.

"He upstairs in his...in the guest room. Just go on up. Second door on the right."

He offered her a smile before, heading upstairs.

* * *

><p>Peter walked up to his front door with some hesitation, something he thought he would never do. But what was on the other side wasn't the same home he was use to coming home to. There wasn't the normalcy of just his beautiful wife and loyal dog waiting for him to come home on the other side of the door. There wasn't a thirty year old Neal waiting to tell him about some scheme he had conjured up in his brilliant, yet frustrating mind to crack the next case. There was a confused three year old little boy unsure of where his place was in the world and which people could help him find it.<p>

Peter leaned his forehead against the door while his hand rested on the door handle.

_I failed him. _Peter thought. _His place is here and I'm suppose to show him._

With the twist of his wrist, he opened the door to reveal his 'new' home.

**AN: I never planned for this to be the end of the chapter, but I just sat down an typed and this is what came to me. I hope you enjoyed it! Next chapter: A Neal and Mozzie scene and find out what Peter comes home to. (Hint: probably another bonding moment between Neal and Peter because who couldn't help but think that those two are adorable as brothers or father and son?) Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think! **


	9. Bravery

**Thanks for all your wonderful reviews and alerts! It means so much! **

* * *

><p>Neal sat beside Mozzie on the bed in the Burke's guest bedroom. He sat close to him, practically leaning against him as he listened to Mozzie tell him about some grand scheme one of their...acquaintances had pulled a few days ago.<p>

"Mozzie?" Neal suddenly asked, cutting his friend off.

"Yeah?"

"If ... if I don't change back...what is going to happen?"

"What do you mean?"

Neal hesitated as he fingered the lint on his pant leg, before turning to look up at his best friend.

"Will...will I see Petew again?"

Mozzie blinked, a little surprised by the question. "I...don't know. I mean, if you don't change back, you can't really work for the FBI anymore. There's no way those pigs are going to believe you turned into a three year old boy. They will think you ran and Peter will have no choice but to tell them you did, otherwise they are going to think he is covering for you. You'll have to go dark." Mozzie stopped talking finally realizing Neal hadn't been looking for that answer. "But uh...no worries. You're going to change back. Worst case scenario, you don't and we go dark and you grow back up on nice island somewhere."

He smiled, hoping to convey some optimism, but it didn't transfer.

"So...so I'll have to 'wun away?"

"Well...yeah."

Suddenly Neal found himself sitting in his prison cell all alone in the world, only this time his prison cell wasn't made of concrete blocks and iron bars. It was built of fears. Fears of abandonment and being locked away had him shackled to the idea of running away with his best friend, but the fear of losing the only family he had ever really known had him searching for the chain around his ankle that led him back to Peter.

A knock on the opened door stole Neal from his thoughts.

"Hey, guys. Am I interrupting?" Peter asked, from the doorway. "Uh...you know what, never mind. It can wait."

"No need, Suit. I was just going." Mozzie said, standing up. "I'll see you later, Neal. You know how to reach me if you...need anything."

"Bye, Moz." Neal said as he watched Mozzie exit, leaving him alone with Peter. He glanced at the agent, but when he noticed the older man studying him he felt uncomfortable and started to play with lint on his pants again.

Peter nodded to Mozzie as the shorter man passed him on his way out, then turned his attention back to Neal. He had been standing just outside the door and heard the tail end of their conversation. He felt his heart sink when Mozzie was so blunt with Neal, but he didn't expect anything less. However, it didn't change the fact that Neal was scared of...well pretty much everything. He was scared of being taken away, scared of being given away and scared of running away. But now he was probably scared of staying too.

Peter stared at the small boy sitting on the bed. How was he supposed to assure Neal of anything if he was just as unsure himself? Neal was confused enough, all he wanted was a straight answer. All Neal wanted was assurance of a safe haven that held a sky and people that cared about him. Suddenly he had an idea.

* * *

><p>Neal could feel Peter's eyes on him and he began to shift uncomfortably under his gaze. He began to wonder if Peter was still mad at him, when the agent turned and left the room without another word. His shoulders sagged while his chest felt a bit heavier.<p>

* * *

><p>Peter entered the master bedroom and made his way over to the closet. He moved a small step stool out from the back of the space and stepped up on it so he could reach a box on the top shelf of the closet. He pulled it down carefully and took it back to the bed. He ran his hand over the lid, wiping the dust from the top, before opening it. He looked down at the contents with fondness and instantly good, and a few bad, memories came flooding back to him. He dug through the box until he found exactly what he wanted. He picked up the item and fingered it once he held it in his hands. He silently asked himself if he was sure he wanted to do this, but he already knew the answer. He put the item in his pocket and made his way back to Neal's room.<p>

He walked through the door to find Neal exactly where he had left him, looking at his shoes as if they would turn into some kind of mythical creature if he looked away. He swallowed hard and squeezed the item in his pocket before kneeling down in front of the kid.

"Neal?"

It took a few seconds, but blue eyes finally met his, only they looked so lost that Peter himself thought he might become lost as well. He must have, because suddenly the boy was calling his name to get his attention. He shook his head and tried to smile a reassuring smile, before taking a deep breath.

"Neal...I know that...that this hasn't been...easy for you." He paused to make sure that the boy was listening. "I can't begin to understand what you're going through...what the world seems like to you now...but...but I do know one thing."

"W-what's that?" Neal asked, leaning forward slightly.

Peter bit his lip for a second. "It's that no matter how big or small the world seems to you...I'll..." Peter sucked in a breath, feeling rather uncomfortable.

"You'll what?"

Peter locked his gaze on two desperate blue orbs again and suddenly found what he wanted to say. "I'll always be in it."

Neal blinked at him and said nothing.

"Neal, I know you're scared and you have every right to be. But just because you're scared doesn't give you the right to runaway from that fear."

Neal still said nothing and Peter wasn't sure if he understood what he was trying to tell him or not.

"You know, I use to have this fear that I never wanted to face either."

Neal suddenly straightened. "Y-you did?"

"Yeah, you wanna know what it was?"

Neal nodded.

"I was scared that I would never find happiness, that I would never find a job that I loved more than playing professional baseball. It was my dream, but I had to realize that if I continued to use my arm I would only be hurting myself more in the long run. It was either be extremely happy for a short amount of time or find something that would make me happy for a long time. Once I found that, I wasn't scared anymore."

"You...weren't?"

Peter shook his head. "Nope. But, no one told me what it was that would make me happy. I had to find it for myself. You have to decide what _truly _makes you happy, Neal. Only then, will that fear you have in here," Peter tapped Neal's chest, "go away. You can't let anyone tell you what it is or let them make that decision for you."

Neal nodded indicating he understood.

"Do you know what makes you happy, Neal?"

The little boy was silent for a moment. "I...I 'fink so, but...what if ...what if...I'm scawed of that too?"

Peter rocked back on his heels for a moment, relieving the balls of his feet from supporting his weight from his squatted position. "Then...I have something to help you get over that particular fear."

"You do?"

"Yup, but you have to close your eyes though for me to give it to you."

"Why?"

"Because...I said so."

Neal shrugged. "Okie dokie." He closed his eyes and straightened up a little in apprehension.

Peter bit his lip to keep from chuckling at the boy while he fished the item he had gotten from the box in his closet out of his pocket. He looked at it in his hands for a second, again making sure he wanted to go through with it, before grabbing the chain it hung on and put it over Neal's head to hang around his neck.

"Okay. You can open them now."

The boy opened one eye first, then the other and looked down at the silver chain hanging around his neck. He followed it down to his stomach where something shiny hung on the end of it. He picked it up with both hands and turned it around so it wasn't upside down. He ran his fingers over it as he looked at it, before suddenly realizing what it was. His head shot up and he looked at the agent squatting in front of him.

"W-what is...'fis?"

Peter smirked at him. "It is my very first police badge. I wore it when I was a rookie cop, just starting out."

Neal looked back down at it in awe as he ran his small fingers across it again.

"The first time I put this on, I was scared to death. But...the longer I wore it...the more the fear went away and the easier it was to make that important decision."

" 'Weally?"

"Yep, and Neal?"

"Yeah?" The boy asked, still keeping his wide eyes on the badge in his hands.

"Neal...I..." Peter paused still unsure about what he was about to do, but when he looked at the little boy in front of him with his awe struck expression as he stared at the badge he made up his mind with a smile. "Neal, I want you to keep it."

If anything would make the boy pry his gaze away form the item in his hands it was that. "Keep it? Y-you mean...until I'm not scawed anymowe 'wight?"

Peter chuckled. "No. I want you to keep it even after that. I want you to have it Neal."

Neal stared at him. "Awe you suwe?"

"Yeah, buddy. I'm sure."

"But...it's youws. It's special."

"It is. It means a lot to me, that's why I've held on to it all these years. It reminds me of the decisions I've made, the fears I've overcome. It reminds me to be brave, Neal, which is what you've got to do. So I want you to have this and every time you feel scared, I want you to look at this and tell yourself to just be brave."

Neal glanced between Peter and the badge. "But...what if...what if I can't? What if I can't be bwave like you?"

Peter stood up from his crouching position and sat beside Neal on the bed. He pulled the boy onto his lap, so Neal was sitting sideways in order for Peter to still see his face.

"You can be brave, Neal. You've already been extremely brave, but...if you ever feel like you can't...I'll always be here, Neal."

"A-always?" Neal asked, turning blue hopeful eyes up at the agent.

Peter nodded. "Always."

Neal looked back down at the badge in his hands. He stared at it for a minute, before letting it go and wiggling down from Peter's lap and diving under the bed. Peter chuckled. "What are you doing?"

"Getting you somefing!"

"Oh." Peter grinned as he sat on the bed patiently and listened to Neal squirm around under the bed. "Okay."

Neal finally appeared out form under the bed, legs first, and climbed back onto Peter's lap with some help from the agent. Once he was situated he held out his hand and opened it revealing the small plush dog toy that they had bought Neal because when the boy saw it he said it looked just like Satchmo. Peter was a bit surprised when Neal offered him the toy, because despite the fact the animal was small enough to almost fit in Neal's hand, the little boy had become extremely attached to it, taking it with him everywhere he went.

"Neal?" Peter started to ask if the boy was sure about giving his beloved toy away, but Neal cut him off, thinking Peter was asking him what it was.

"It's Satchymo juniow." The boy explained. Peter had to run a hand down over his mouth to hide his amusement.

"I know, buddy, but Satch...ymo junior is your favorite. You take him everywhere. Won't you miss him?"

Neal shook his head enthusiastically. "Nope. I got 'fis!" He replied, holding up the badge hanging around his neck. "Since you gave me 'fis, I gave you Satchymo juniow. He will pwotect you like youw badge will pwotect me."

Peter smiled and wrapped his arm around the boy while taking the offered toy. "Only if your sure."

"I am." Neal chuckled as Peter ruffled his hair before busting out into giggles when the agent tickled him. Neal twisted and squirmed in Peter's lap as the older man wrapped an arm around him preventing him from getting down and ruffling his hair and tickling his sides. After a few minutes of joking around, they both stilled and tried to regain their breath from laughing so hard.

"Petew?" Neal asked leaning his back against the agent's chest.

"Yeah?"

"You pwomise you won't evew leave me?"

Peter didn't even take a second before answering.

"I promise, as long as you never leave me."

* * *

><p><em>But I won't hold you hostage. <em>

_And I won't set you free. _

_I'll always leave the lights on and you'll return to me._

_No I don't want your ransom just say you'll never leave._

_ Please don't lose the keys. I won't hold you hostage. ~ Hostage by Jack's Mannequin_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: No worries, Mozzie will be a bit more understanding later on! When the idea of Peter giving Neal his first badge popped into my head I was so excited to write it into a chapter! I hope you enjoyed it too! Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading! :D<strong>


	10. The 'D' Word

**Not sure how I feel about this chapter, but here it is anyway...**

"Peter?"

Elizabeth asked hesitantly as she sat down across from Peter at the dining room table, after they had put Neal to bed. She wrapped her hands around her hot coffee mug and nervously squeezed it.

"Yeah?" Her husband replied, glancing up from the newspaper was reading.

"You know I can't watch Neal tomorrow and since you can't just keep taking him to work with you," She paused until her husband met her gaze. "I think we should start thinking about maybe sending Neal to...daycare."

Peter dropped his newspaper on to the table and stared at her with an amused expression. "You're joking."

"No, honey. I'm not."

"El! The kid was terrified of leaving the house with us and let's not even start with him thinking we are going to give him away. This will just be icing on the cake, a huge cake!"

"I understand that, but we need to start thinking about what will happen if he doesn't change back! If he," She stopped to lower her voice. "if he doesn't change back we're going to have to enroll him anyway and plus, if he is around other kids and has a good time, maybe it will ease his nerves about all of this."

"Elizabeth, I really don't think that's a good idea. Dropping him off somewhere, with people he doesn't know, with other kids? He's not even a normal kid. I just...I don't think it is a good idea."

"My friend Valerie sent her kids to this daycare. She loved it and felt safe leaving her kids there. Peter..." She trailed off. "I think this could be really good for Neal. It will give him an opportunity to interact with other kids, despite the fact he isn't a 'normal' one and maybe help him cope with all of this. You and I both know that it's not good for him to be so scared and attached."

Peter stared at her with an understanding but regretful look. "You're right, but he's not going to like it."

"Not at first, but after the second or third time he goes and gets a feel for it, he will probably really enjoy it."

Peter dropped his gaze back to the newspaper, but didn't really look at it. "Maybe."

"Alright, then. It's settled. I'll call the daycare first thing in the morning and you can drop him off since it is own your way to work."

"Wait. You want _me _to be the one to drop him off?"

"Well I would, but I have to go across the city and it is on your way to work."

Peter let out a heavy sigh and ran a hand down his face to help ease the new stress he felt welding up. "Alright. I'll...take him."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Peter had parked alongside the curb a few blocks away from the daycare and cut the engine.<p>

"Petew, why awe we stopping?" Neal asked from the backseat of the agent's car as he peered around the side of his car seat to look out the window. Peter took a slow, deep breath while deciding it would be best to get the boy out of the car before delivering the bad news. Peter was really just stalling the inevitable for as long as he possibly could.

"Petew?" Neal asked again, as the agent unbuckled him and took him from his car seat.

Peter didn't answer until he had Neal's small backpack dangling from his forearm, carrying Neal securely on his hip and the car locked. "Neal, you're going to go somewhere really fun today."

"Wowk. I'm going to wowk with you."

"Ahh, no. No, Neal, you're going to go somewhere fun while I go to work. You're going to have a lot of fun and meet new people. Then, I'm going to pick you up from daycare and-"

"Daycawe?" Neal shouted, before fighting against Peter so the older man would let him down. "No, no, no, no, no. I go to wowk! Not daycawe! I'm not going to daycawe!"

"Neal." Peter replied forcefully and he held Neal tighter. "Neal, stop moving. Stop trying to get down or I'll send you to daycare for the rest of your sentence, understood?"

Neal immediately stopped and turned surprised eyes to the agent, partially because of the threat, but mostly because the scolding tone in the agent's voice. Peter froze too as he realized how paternal he sounded. The two of them just stared at each other for a few seconds that passed like minutes, before Peter continued walking and turned the corner to bring them to the entrance to the daycare.

"Pete-"

"Not. A. Word." The older man warned again as he walked in.

"Good Morning, Sir. How can I help you?" A young blonde headed woman asked, from behind the desk to the left of the lobby.

"I'm Peter Burke, this is Neal. My wife, Elizabeth called this morning about dropping Neal off for the day."

"Oh yes!" She replied, while she typed something into the computer. "Okay, Mr. Burke. Your wife gave us most of the information over the phone. You're dropping off your son Neal Burke-"

Peter almost choked when the woman said Neal Burke, but thankfully kept a cool facade, something 'adult' Neal would find humorous no doubt, and apparently 'child' Neal found it funny too by the sound of muffled giggles in his shoulder. He tuned out what the woman was saying while he silently wondered why Elizabeth had failed to mention she told the daycare Neal was their son, but when he heard his name he decided he should be paying attention to the woman instead.

"Okay, Mr. Burke. All I need from you is at least two phone numbers we can contact you at and I need to see your driver's license or some form of I.D."

Peter pulled his wallet out and gave her his license as he told her two phone numbers.

Ten minutes later, the woman finished getting additional information from Peter, returned his driver's license and told them they were all set.

"Alright, sweetheart!" She said cheerfully, turning her attention on Neal. "Are you ready to have some fun while Daddy goes to work?"

Neal didn't answer her. Instead, he turned his head away from her, back over Peter's shoulder.

"Um, could you give us a minute?" Peter asked, politely. The girl nodded and went about organizing files, while Peter put Neal down and squatted in front of him. Grabbing him gently by the shoulders, he spoke to him.

"Hey, listen to me. I'll be back as soon as I get off from work. Just have fun and meet the other kids. You'll have fun, ok?"

Neal didn't say anything, just looked down at his shoes.

"Hey." Peter brought Neal's head up with his index finger under the boy's chin. "Be good. No shenanigans. Are we clear?"

Neal just blinked slightly cloudy eyes.

"Neal." Peter warned.

"P-please don't leave me hewe." Neal whispered, his bottom lip trembling ever so slightly.

"I'm not leaving you. I'm coming back to get you after work, Neal."

"No. Please, I-I want to go to wowk."

Peter sighed and glanced at the woman who was trying to wait patiently for them.

"Listen, buddy...I know, but you have to stay here. Remember the badge I gave you. Be brave, Neal. Okay?" Peter replied, as he motioned for the woman while standing up.

"No!" Neal shouted and moved to latch on to Peter's leg, but the agent stepped back with a gut wrenching feeling as the woman grabbed Neal's hand to guide him back to where the other kids were.

"It's okay, Mr. Burke. We will take good care of him." The lady stated as she motioned for Peter to go ahead and leave. Peter sighed, but realized he wasn't helping the situation by standing there, so he turned to exit. Neal's desperate protests and cries made it difficult to put one foot in front of the other, but the agent managed to make it to the door only to be stopped dead in his tracks by one word spilling out of Neal's mouth.

"Daddy!"

* * *

><p>The cry came out of Neal's mouth before his mind even began to process it. The word felt like a foreign language across his tongue and he probably wouldn't have realized what he had said if he hadn't noticed Peter stop leaving. He ceased his struggles against the lady pulling him back into the back of the daycare and mirrored the agent's lack of movement. Peter had yet to turn around and it made Neal nervous. Embarrassing heat reached his cheeks and his breath caught in his throat while he tried to tell himself that he only called Peter 'daddy' because he was suppose to be Neal Burke, but deep down inside his childish mind he knew that wasn't the truth. It made his bottom lip tremble even more and he bit it in attempt to still it, but it didn't help. Water lined his eyes and threatened to spill over while Peter's back still remained towards him, causing his desperation for the man to come and get him even higher. He just didn't understand why.<p>

The lady tugged at his arm. "Come on, sweetie. Your daddy has to go to work, but he will be back before you know it."

Neal stumbled as the woman pulled him along gently. He noticed that he was getting closer to the door that led into the back and once he stepped through it, Peter would be gone. Embarrassment forgotten, desperation took ahold of Neal in a burly grip and his cries were forced from his throat once again.

"Daddy...please!"

The woman said nothing and continued to guide Neal back until an adult voice stopped her.

* * *

><p>Peter felt his heart twist and plummet to the bottom of his stomach upon hearing Neal call him 'daddy' again. He closed his eyes and weighed his options. Elizabeth being angry at him for not taking Neal to daycare he could take and smooth over in a day or two. Leaving Neal at the last place he wanted to be, especially after his outbursts, he couldn't even think about.<p>

"Wait." He called out, before he had even made up his mind. "Stop."

He finally turned around and upon seeing Neal, he felt he couldn't get the kid out of there fast enough. He crossed the room in four long strides, ignored the displeased look of the woman who let go of Neal's arm and picked up the boy who was all but jumping up into his arms.

"I'm sorry, but I can't leave him here."

"Sir, I know it is diffic-"

"I will not leave him here." Peter repeated, before taking Neal's backpack from her and walking out of the door.

* * *

><p>Peter leaned against his car while holding Neal with one arm and his cell phone with the other. The boy's head rested lazily on his shoulder, while he dialed a phone number and held it to his ear.<p>

After three rings, he was greeted from the other end of the line.

"Diana, you know how you said if I ever needed anything with uh...the Neal situation, you would help out?"

"Yeah, Peter. What do you need?"

He felt a relieved sigh escape his lips and a weight lifted from his chest. He silently thanked God for her, before replying. "A babysitter. I'll have another agent cover your cases for today, Hell, I'll do them myself if I have to, but I really need you on this Diana."

He heard her easy laughter on the other end. "Sure, Boss. Do you want me to meet you somewhere?"

"No, I can just drop him off at your place, if that's alright."

"Perfect. I'll see you in a bit."

"Alright. And Diana?"

He heard another laugh. "You're welcome, Peter."

Peter took a deep breath as he ended the call and slid his phone back into his pocket before praying that the day didn't go as roughly as it had already started out to be.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Next chapter: Diana baby-sitting Neal and Peter explaining to Elizabeth why Neal didn't go to daycare.<strong>

**Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!**


	11. The 'P' Word

**Sadly, the next couple of days are going to be pretty hectic for me so it may take longer for me to update than usual. Sorry in advance if you have to wait a few days for a new chapter! So on that note, savor this chapter if it is worth savoring! **

Diana heard the doorbell go off as she turned off the sink from washing her hands in the kitchen. She dried her hands quickly on a hand towel, before pulling off a napkin and placing it over her eggs she had just made for breakfast.

She hurriedly made her way to the door and looked through the peephole just to make sure who it was before opening it and revealing Agent Burke standing there, Neal asleep in his arms and a kid's backpack dangling off his forearm. She grinned, despite the fact of how bizarre the whole situation was.

She motioned for him to come in instead of telling him so she wouldn't risk waking up the sleeping toddler and pointed to the couch as the disposing spot.

Peter eased Neal down on the couch, his movements slow so his charge wouldn't wake up. He nodded his thanks to Diana when she came up behind him and put a blanket over the boy and tucked it around him so he wouldn't notice the change in contact. He carefully stood up, then once he was satisfied that Neal wouldn't wake up he quietly followed her into the kitchen.

"Can I get you anything? Coffee? Water? Alcohol?" She asked jokingly, but based on Peter's expression she probably could have asked it as a serious question and got away with it.

"No, but if I wasn't on my way to work I would take you up on the alcohol offer." Peter replied as he placed his hands on the kitchen counter and leaned on it while shaking his head and giving a defeated laugh.

"That bad?" Diana questioned, pulling a glass cup from the cabinet and filling it with coffee. Based on the silence that lingered, she assumed it was. She put in the right amount of cream and sugar, before placing it on the counter between Peter's hands.

"Then you're going to need this."

He looked up at her with an appreciative grin when the steaming cup of coffee was placed under his nose. He took it in his hands and sipped some of it. "Thanks." He replied, setting the mug down with a clank against the counter.

"So...what happened?"

"Daycare happened."

"Daycare?" Diana asked, incredulously.

"Yeah. El thought it would be good for him to be around other kids and help him feel more comfortable about this whole situation, but it had the opposite effect."

"The opposite effect or just an effect you didn't like?"

Peter made a face. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Come on, Peter. It's," Diana looked at the clock. "seven forty-five in the morning. Based on that alone, it is safe to say that Neal wasn't at daycare longer than ten or fifteen minutes."

"So?"

"So, how do you know what kind of effect it had on him if he didn't even stay long enough for you to leave?"

Peter took a deep, uncomfortable breath and glanced around the kitchen.

"Oh, that's the problem isn't it?" Diana figured. "You couldn't leave him there. Let me guess, he got mad? Screamed? Kicked?"

Peter shook his head. "I would have gladly left him there if he started throwing a tantrum."

"So why couldn't you leave him?"

Peter sighed and tactfully changed the subject. "Listen, I'm going to be late to work as it is. I really need to be going. He should sleep for about an hour or so. You said you know all about kids so I don't have to go over the basics."

"Well...I know he is technically three, but I mean does he...does he play? or what?" Diana asked, a bit unsure.

"Yeah, he'll play. I mean he should, but he might try to act normal around you. I'm not sure. But, he likes to crawl under furniture, so if you have anything under there you don't want Neal to find, make sure you keep him away from it. He likes to hide from you, too. But at the same time, he will talk to you about anything adult Neal would. He will talk about art and half the time I can't understand a word of it like usual." Peter chuckled. "Memory wise he is still thirty years old, but physically and emotionally he is three years old. And mentally...well it teeters back and forth. That's probably the biggest challenge in all of this. He just gets really... confused sometimes."

Diana heard a strange tone in Peter's voice in that last sentence but didn't bring attention to it. "That's understandable. But don't worry, Boss. I'll take care of him. Just please tell me he knows that I'm babysitting him for today."

"Yeah, he knows."

"Good. I'll call you if anything pops up."

"Alright." Peter nodded and took the last sip of his coffee. He placed the mug in the sink, before making his way to the door. "He has some toys in his backpack and whatever else Elizabeth put in there." He whispered over his shoulder as they walked past the couch.

Diana nodded and once Peter was out of the door she closed it and wondered just what she was in for.

* * *

><p>"Neal?" Diana called as she walked hunched over through her home looking for the little boy. Neal had woken up two hours ago and after a long conversation about rules and coming to an understanding, Neal went around the house playing while Diana did some things around the house she hadn't been able to get to because of work. But Diana had been in the middle of cleaning and organizing her bedroom closet when she suddenly remembered that it had been at least a good twenty minutes of not hearing the smallest sound out of Neal. So she went in search of him.<p>

"Neal? Where are you?"

She still didn't receive an answer and silently prayed that nothing had happened that Peter would kill her over.

"Neal!" She yelled again, this time not asking, as she walked into the kitchen and checked under the table and in the cabinets that the kid could crawl into. She came up empty. She spotted the big pantry across the kitchen and quickly walked over to it praying that Neal hadn't crawled inside. The shelf that held her cans was about to fall, she just hadn't gotten around to fixing it yet.

_That's crazy, Diana. You would've heard the shelf fall if it happened. _She told herself, when the horrifying thought popped into her mind, but it didn't stop her from checking. She grabbed the knob on the pantry door, took a quick breath and slung the door open. She let shoulders sag with relief when the only thing the pantry contained was her groceries and a wobbly shelf.

"Neal!" She called again, while she still stared into her pantry. She thought she heard a rustle somewhere in the house, but wasn't sure if it was just wishful thinking or not.

"Neal!" She yelled, closing the pantry door before jumping back a good foot from where she stood, because Neal had been standing behind the open pantry door.

"Jesus Christ, Neal! You scared me." Diana exclaimed, placing a hand over her chest as her heart raced due to the adrenaline of being startled. "How long have you been standing there?"

The boy giggled. "Long enough to know that you thought that I had been squashed like a bug by youw pantwy shelf."

Diana blinked at him.

"You wewe talking to youwself out loud." Neal supplied, when he realized Diana was silently asking him how he knew that.

"Oh." She breathed. "Well...Peter said you like to hide...I just didn't want him to squash _me _like a bug if I let my pantry kill you."

Now it was Neal's turn to blink at her.

"Right. Anyway, what were you doing? Where have you been?"

"I was in youw woom wif' you, but you couldn't see me because of all youw clothes piled in the floow." Neal laughed.

Diana joined in. "Oh. Sorry! Well, I think I need to take a break from cleaning. You want to...play a game or something?"

Neal raised an eyebrow at her. "No. We don't have to play games. We can ... wowk."

"Work?" Diana asked, catching up on the fact that Neal was doing exactly what Peter thought he might do. "Neal, you might want to work, but this is my day off and I'm not working. So, if you want work you can go ahead and finish organizing my closet, but if you want to join me I'm going to sit down and color in this coloring book." She said, taking out a box of crayons and a coloring book from a drawer.

"Color?" Neal suddenly asked, with a hopeful light in his eyes.

"Yeah, but I mean don't mind me. If you really want to work, go ahead. Although, you are a pretty good artist! But you know, I bet I can color better than you. I'm pretty amazing at it." She supplied, trying to get Neal to color without having him think he was being 'childish'. She sat down in the floor in the living room and flipped through the coloring book, hoping Neal wouldn't catch on to her own con.

"Well...if you'we going to challenge me..." Neal replied, sitting down beside her and picking out his own picture to color.

* * *

><p>Diana was in the middle of coloring a pirate when she heard a strange sound beside her. She glanced up at Neal who was, to her surprise, gnawing on the end of the blue crayon.<p>

"Neal! Stop that!" She exclaimed, grabbing the crayon from his hand and inspecting it. She held it up and noticed the teeth marks in it and a small piece of the end missing.

"Did you really eat a piece of this?"

Neal looked at her innocently, before shaking his head.

"Oh really? There just happens to be tiny teeth marks on the end near the spot where the missing piece is?" She asked, sarcastically. Neal nodded. She raised an eyebrow at him. "Right. Then why are your teeth and tongue blue?"

"I...I was just...chewing on the end of it...not eating it. It was an accident." Neal stated, swallowing thickly.

"Well, it is a tiny piece. I doubt it will do anything, but tell me if you start feeling sick or something. Alright?"

"Okay." Neal replied, happy that the conversation was over. He went back to coloring his own picture, but this time used a different color.

Diana watched him for a few more seconds, debating on making a big deal about him swallowing a tiny piece of crayon or not. She shook her head with a chuckle.

"At least you didn't choke on it. We can always tell Peter you ate a blue sucker."

Neal looked back up at her with a smile. "Exactly." He replied, but it sounded more like 'eggsactwly'.

Diana rolled her eyes. "Let's at least rinse your mouth out."

"I thought that only happened to kids when they said wowdy diwds." Neal stated, following her into the kitchen.

"Wordy dirds?" Diana asked with a laugh.

"Yeah, it means diwty wowds or so Petew says."

Diana laughed. "Oh, dirty words. No, I'm rinsing your mouth out because you have blue crayon in it. But did you get your mouth washed out as a kid for saying bad words?"

She picked Neal up and handed him a glass of water. Once he sipped it and swished it around in his mouth, she took the glass from him, set it on the counter and held him over the sink so he could spit it out, before setting him back down on the ground.

"No." Neal answered her, wiping his mouth with the back of his arm before Diana could hand him a napkin. The agent just wiped him down herself. "But I did say 'sthit' the other day when I was in the gwocewy stowe with 'Lizabef and she didn't like it."

Diana couldn't help but burst out laughing when he said 'shit', not only because she could just picture the looks on other people's faces at a three year old boy saying the word, but because the way need said it with a three year old dialect made it that much more humorous.

"I bet she got pretty mad."

"She did, but it was mowe at the old lady that said that it was awful that I knew that wowd." Neal giggled. " 'Lizabef can be 'weally scawy when she wants to be."

Diana laughed harder. "Oh my, I bet that woman got an earful!"

"Yep!"

* * *

><p>Peter finally sat down at his desk with a huge stack of files and took a moment to find normalcy in his life. But as he sat there with his eyes closed, trying to relax all he could think about was how Neal was doing at Diana's house. He ran his hands down his face in frustration as he felt like shoving all the paperwork off his desk. Luckily, his phone rang to keep him from doing so. However, it wasn't a call he wanted.<p>

"Peter, please tell me why it is that I called the daycare to check on Neal and they told me that Neal isn't there?" Elizabeth skipped the greeting portion of the call and went straight to demanding answers.

"El...I couldn't leave him there."

"I know! The woman told me just before I had a heart attack wondering where he was!"

"I'm sorry, El. I should've called and told you. I just-" Peter replied sounding completely defeated.

"Peter, where is he?"

"He's at Diana's house. She's babysitting him."

He heard Elizabeth blow out a relieved sigh. "Ok. Honey...what happened this morning at the daycare?"

Peter waited a minute before answering. He debated on telling her the entire truth. _God, Neal really is rubbing off on me. _He thought.

"Neal started begging me not to leave him there and I ...I just couldn't do it."

"Peter." Elizabeth warned, knowing full well there was more to the story.

Peter chuckled. "He...he called me..."

"Called you what, Hon?"

Silence hung between them for a few moments.

"He called me 'Daddy'."

"He called you what?" El exclaimed, with a small laugh.

Peter shifted uncomfortably even though his wife couldn't see him. "Daddy."

He heard his wife try to stifle her laughter and added, "But he just said it. He didn't mean it. He just didn't want to go to daycare. It didn't mean anything, I'm sure."

"If that's what you want to believe, Honey."

* * *

><p>Seven o'clock rolled around and Diana realized that they had spent the entire day coloring and playing board games with big game pieces because the first game they played Neal decided he could win faster by eating his game piece and almost choked on it. Luckily, Diana managed to get it unstuck by slapping Neal on the back a few times, but it took longer than that for her heart to slow down.<p>

The doorbell rang and Diana's head shot up towards Neal. The kid was covered in crayon and marker smears, but there was no time to get him cleaned up so she opened the door for Peter. Apparently Neal knew what she had been thinking. "I'm diwty."

"Yes, you are." Peter replied from the doorway, making Neal's head snap up in surprise.

When he saw Peter he couldn't help but grin, but suddenly he remembered what had happened this morning. He had had so much fun with Diana today, he hadn't even thought about the daycare fiasco, until now. He didn't know how Peter regarded him now.

Peter saw Neal look up at him and watched the grin spread across the boy's face before it slowly fell. It made Peter's fall as well, along with the fact that Neal remained where he was instead of running to him like he usually does when he comes home from work.

"Hey, how did it go?" Peter returned his attention to Diana.

"It was great." She replied, glancing at Neal then back at her boss.

"No problems?"

"Nope. We had fun today. Didn't we, Neal?"

Neal kept his eyes shyly away from the adults. "Uh huh."

"Good." Peter responded, picking up Neal's backpack from the floor. "Thanks, Diana. I owe you one, possibly two."

"Don't worry about it, Boss."

He smiled at her and nodded his thanks. "Alright, Neal. Are you ready to go?"

Neal nodded and picked up his coloring book page he had colored earlier before walking over to Peter. The agent bent down and picked him up while Diana opened the door for them while they said their good-byes.

* * *

><p>Peter glanced in the rearview mirror at Neal as he drove down the street. The whole car ride up until this point had been silent, so Peter spoke with a cautious tone. "Did you have a good time with Diana, Neal?"<p>

"Uh huh." Neal mumbled. Peter frowned at the dull response. Usually Neal told him about everything he had done that day with as more enthusiasm than he thought possible.

"Oh, well good. I'm glad you had fun. What did you guys do?"

He saw Neal shrugged his shoulders against the shoulder restraints in his car seat. "Just stuff."

Peter caught Neal's eye in the mirror for a brief second before the kid looked away and muttered, "Umm...games and coloring...just stuff."

Peter nodded, but didn't know what else to say. If the kid didn't want to talk to him, then he wasn't going to force him. Peter thought by taking Neal to Diana's that the kid would forgive him for taking him to the daycare, apparently not.

* * *

><p>Neal sunk down in his car seat when Peter quit talking to him. He wanted nothing more than for Peter to forget that he had called him 'daddy'. He wasn't sure how the agent felt about it when he had come to pick him up from Diana's but now in the car he could see the agent was mad. He didn't understand why the older man couldn't see that it was just a slip of the tongue, a word that was ripped from his throat in a moment of panic. He hadn't meant it. Neal sank deeper. He had meant it. In that split second, when his mind had convinced him he was walking into a living nightmare, he had screamed the word with such desperation. His mind told him that by saying that one word, a knight in shining armor would come to slay the dragon, a superhero would kill the villain, a father would save his child from the monster. But that was the thing. Neal wasn't a father's child. Sure, he had a father somewhere out there in the world, but it wasn't the same thing. His real father wasn't a knight, a superhero or a father in any sense of the word except physically. But Peter, Peter was all of those things, except his father, except his daddy.<p>

* * *

><p>With Neal in bed, Peter sat down in his chair in the living room to watch the baseball game. It was in the bottom of the sixth inning with a Yankees lead of 3 runs. He was sipping his beer when his wife appeared from the kitchen holding Neal's backpack in her hand, taking things out of it, until she suddenly froze with her hand down in it. He watched her for a few seconds, until the backpack fell from her grasp and revealed her other hand holding a piece of paper. She raised her other hand to cover her mouth.<p>

"El?" Peter asked worriedly. "Honey, what is it?" Peter stood from his chair to stand in front of his wife. With her hand covering part of her face he couldn't tell if she was crying or laughing.

Finally she dropped her hand and met Peter's eyes. He felt his throat tighten when he saw water in hers, but suddenly a smile spread across her face. Peter raised an eyebrow at her. "What?"

He watched Elizabeth bite her lip, before turning the page she was looking at towards him. He felt his heart do something funny in his chest as he saw what she was holding up.

Dangling from El's hand was coloring book picture of a cowboy on a horse shouting "Cowboy Up!" in a quote bubble, colored to such perfection that no three year boy should be able to achieve unless that three year old boy was Neal Caffrey. But the thing that had Peter's chest swelling like a hot air balloon, was the name written in tiny letters on the cowboy's sheriff's badge. It said, 'Burke'. The horse was also wearing some sort of drawn on collar with a tag that said 'Satchmo'. Then to the right of the cowboy and his horse was a crayon drawn woman that looked remarkably like Elizabeth holding a little boy's hand that had piercing blue eyes, just like a little boy Peter knew.

He tore his gaze away from the picture to look at Elizabeth. "What..." He trailed off, unable to find the words.

Elizabeth shook her head with a laugh. "And you said him calling you 'daddy' didn't mean anything."

* * *

><p>Peter quietly crept into Neal's room, using the dim light from the boy's nightlight to see his way to the bed. He eased himself down to sit on the edge of bed, but almost fell off when the boy suddenly shot up put of bed with a gasp.<p>

Peter grabbed the comforter that Neal was sleeping on top of, to steady himself and turned to Neal who was looking at him with wide, terrified eyes while gasping for air.

"Neal? Are you okay?"

The boy waited a moment before nodding his head. "Y-you sc-scawed me, Petew."

"Oh, sorry buddy! I thought you were asleep."

Neal shook his head while he pulled his blanket up around his neck. "I...I couldn't sleep."

"You couldn't?" Peter asked, sensing the awkwardness radiating between them. Neal shook his head as he laid back down and looked up at Peter with uncharacteristic bashful eyes. Peter debated bringing up the elephant in the room, but when he glanced at the nightstand where he had laid the picture Neal had colored at Diana's house, he came up with an idea to get the elephant out without actually talking about it.

"Hey, you know when I was a kid and I couldn't sleep there was only one thing that could put me to sleep. Do you know what it was?"

"What?" Neal asked, after shaking his head. Peter smiled at him before holding up a finger telling him wait a second. He left the room and came back about two minutes later holding a book.

"Okay. Scoot over." Peter said while motioning Neal to make room for him to sit down. Neal scooted over and watched Peter with a curious eye, while the older man sat down on the bed and leaned his back against the headboard. Peter patted the bed beside him. "Come here."

Neal slowly crawled over to Peter's side, dragging his blanket with him. He sat down next to the agent and looked up at him silently waiting for him to explain.

"When I was a kid and couldn't sleep, the only thing that would help was my dad reading me a book."

He felt Neal tense beside him. The boy suddenly looked at him and the silent question passed across hopeful blue eyes.

"Do you want me to read this book to you, Neal?" Peter asked, holding up a copy of Disney's Peter Pan. The question was more than just about reading a book. It asked if Neal would let Peter to treat him like a father should treat his son. He saw the boy glance between the book and himself, before slowly nodding his head. "Yes, Petew." The agent wrapped an arm around the boy and felt Neal wiggle and bury himself into his side before he opened the book and started reading.

Sitting there with the kid, Peter began to realize that it didn't matter matter so much about what name Neal called him. Just as long as Neal was calling out for him, trusting him to help him, wanting him to be there, the boy could call him whatever he wanted. _Sure, _Peter thought to himself, _there's something special about being a dad, but there's something special about being 'Petew' too._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading! <strong>

**P.S. I'll try my very best to update by Tuesday! **


	12. Chapter 12

**Are any of you just as surprised as I am that I'm actually posting something before Tuesday? **

**A short attempt at a humorous chapter...**

"You'we tying it w'ong."

Neal glanced between Peter's face and Peter's hands that were blandly tying the small, yet elegant tie around Neal's neck.

"I am not."

"Yes. You are." Neal shot back immediately and sent the older man a frustrated glare. "You'we tying it like youws."

Peter finally finished tying it and pulled it tighter than he meant to when he responded, "And what's wrong with the way I tied mine?"

A smirk pulled at the corner of Neal's mouth. "It looks...cop-ish."

Peter snorted. "Right. Well, we wouldn't want you to appear like a law-abiding citizen now would we?"

Peter un-tied the tie.

"Funny." Neal replied, taking the tie from Peter's fingers and tying it himself with more sophistication than a three year old should.

"Boys!" Elizabeth voice rang through the house. "Are you ready? I can't be late."

Peter and Neal looked each other over.

"Yeah!" Peter yelled back, before raising an eyebrow at the toddler that scoffed at him. "What?"

"My haiw hasn't even been bwushed, let alone fixed!"

"Neal, you're three. Adults think it's cute for kids have unruly, curly hair. They will call you adorable and squeeze your cheeks. Then ruffle your hair. So even if we did fix it, someone is just going to mess it up anyway."

Neal glared at him. "Oh, they will call me adowable alwight."

* * *

><p>Elizabeth walked into the galleria where her company was putting on a high-end event, followed by Peter and Neal. She turned to her husband, snaking an arm around his waist affectionately.<p>

"Thank you for coming, Honey. I know this really isn't your thing, but it means a lot to me that you're here. I really need the support on this. Mrs. Palamore isn't the most pleasant woman, but if Burke Premiere Events pulls this off it will be really good for business."

Peter smiled at her and kissed her. "I know, El, which is why we are here." He shook Neal's arm by the boy's hand that was holding his.

"Yup, why we awe hewe, 'Lizabef!"

"Thank you boys. I love you. Please behave yourselves. The both of you."

"We will."

* * *

><p>Peter sat at one of the many small round tables in the galleria with Neal sitting to his right munching on some carrots, while Peter sipped on some wine even though he would have preferred beer.<p>

He sat his glass down when an elderly lady came up to the table and reached out to shake his hand.

"Hello. I was told that you are Peter, Elizabeth's husband. I'm Mrs. Palamore's mother. Let me tell you, just between us, that your wife is very...brave taking on my daughter's party. I love my daughter, but she can be so...picky at times. But regardless, Elizabeth has done a fine job with this event and in life I see." The woman said raising her tone to a more cheery one as she spotted Neal sitting beside Peter, nibbling on a carrot. "Oh my, aren't you just adorable. A spitting image of Elizabeth, but I bet you'll get more like your daddy here the older you get."

Peter chuckled awkwardly, but said nothing as Neal just sat there and nibbled on his carrot.

"Aw, how cute. I've always been a softie for the shy ones." She joked. "Well, Mr. Burke I need to find my daughter and make sure she isn't terrorizing the guests. It was nice to meet you and your son."

"Nice to meet you, too."

Once the woman had left he quickly turned his head towards Neal and fixed him with a bewildered look. "You couldn't have been polite and spoken?"

Neal opened his mouth to respond but Peter added, "And don't try that 'I'm a shy little kid' because we both know that you are anything but shy."

"But that lady thought it was cute." Neal shot back, eyeing Peter with a 'try to prove otherwise' look. Peter's mouth went into a straight line as he blew a frustrated breath out of his nose.

* * *

><p>Peter was now conversing with the fifth woman that claimed to know Elizabeth, yet he had no idea who she was. The woman named Kim, was going on and on about really dull stories that held no humor yet Kim was laughing hysterically as she told them. Peter had no clue what the woman was rambling about but he just kept smiling and nodding his head, until another woman came running up to the table exclaiming, "Oh! No, no, no sweetheart!"<p>

Peter was startled as he watched her approach the table, her arms outstretched. He followed her aim and saw that Neal was holding his wine glass and tilting it so he could take a sip. Peter gasped as he realized that's what the woman was exclaiming about and snatched the glass out of Neal's hands and set it on the table out of the boy's reach.

Kim had stopped talking by this point and the other woman that had ran over was just standing there. The whole table was silent as they all stared at the boy who stared at the table, until Kim broke the silence while standing from the table.

"Well, the kid talked me into it. I need another drink."

The other lady rolled her eyes as Kim walked away.

"That's the last thing she ever needs."

Peter chuckled and nodded his head.

"And you too mister." She motioned towards Neal. "That stuff isn't for kids. Okay, sweetie?"

Neal glared at her and stayed true to his three-year old self and brooded at being treated like a child.

"He didn't know that was wine. It looks like his grape juice he loves so much." Peter responded, tearing his 'warning' look away from Neal who didn't notice. A small smile played on Peter's lips. "But he only likes it if it is in a sippy cup. We can hardly get him to drink out of anything else."

Neal's head turned towards Peter with a mortified expression. Peter met his gaze and smiled. "But I'm proud of you, buddy, for trying to be a big boy and drink out of a normal glass, but you can't have that kiddo. It's a drink only for adults, but I'll have Elizabeth get you some grape juice in your sippy cup, alright?"

Neal clenched his jaw and glared up at Peter, but said nothing. The agent turned his attention back to the woman who was looking at them with a 'that's so adorable' expression. "Excuse us, I need to get him some juice. He'll start crying if he doesn't have Mr. Sippy." Peter put a hand up around his mouth and purposefully whispered loud enough for Neal to hear, "That's what he calls it."

* * *

><p>Peter and Neal were seated back at the table, Peter sipping his wine and Neal sipping his juice. Yet, another woman sat across from them talking about something Peter wasn't really paying attention to as he could practically feel Neal's anger creeping up his arm. He swallowed thickly, knowing that despite Neal being small, his revenge would still be large.<p>

He was taking a sip of his wine when Neal dealt his revenge.

"Daddy? Where do babies come from?" Neal asked with innocence oozing from his tone. The old lady that was talking to Peter stopped talking when Neal started speaking for the first time and gasped when he finished.

Peter heard the question and choked on the liquid in his mouth. He coughed violently, trying to get it out of his wind pipe as he tried to set his glass down. But the glass fell over spilling a little red wine on the table and splashing a little on his shirt. He hit his fist against his chest as he finished getting the liquid out of his throat and took a few gulping breaths.

"Ahh..." Peter trailed off, as he glanced between Neal and the old lady. He felt his face turning red and the tops of his ears burn in embarrassment. He coughed awkwardly and shifted in his seat. "Um...well...Neal...uh..."

He trailed off as he made eye contact with the old woman who suddenly realized she should leave.

"Oh! Sorry, um...I'll leave you to it." She smiled sweetly as she slowly left the table. Peter watched her leave and picked up a napkin and furiously dabbed at the wine stain on his shirt, which only made it worse. When the woman s out of earshot, he quickly turned to Neal.

"I would drag you back in chains right now, if you weren't a damn toddler."

Both realized it for the empty threat that Peter regularly makes when 'adult' Neal did something Peter didn't approve of.

"But lucky fow you, you can just...what was it you said at the house?" Neal turned his head to the side and put his tiny index finger on his mouth in mock thought. "Oh yeah! Call me adowable, squeeze my cheeks and wuffle my haiw."

Peter glared at Neal but it only lasted a few seconds before laughter took hold. Neal soon joined in with his own giggles as they humorously talked about how everyone looked at them like they were crazy. Their laughter was interrupted by Elizabeth walking up behind them.

"Well, aren't you two having a good time." She smiled and kissed both of them on the head. "What's so funny?"

Peter and Neal shared a look.

"We're just such sociable people." The agent replied, gaining more giggles from Neal.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and winced. She wasn't surprised.

"I should've known you two couldn't stay out of trouble."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: More coming soon! Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading! <strong>


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks again to everyone reading, reviewing or adding this story to you favorite/alert lists! **

Sunday found Neal two weeks closer to that fateful day. His relationship with the Burkes had grown over the past couple of weeks and he found himself wondering what life would be like as a thirty year old man again. He was questioning if things would be different or go back to the way things were, when Peter's voice brought him out of his musings.

"I don't think you're head is big enough for all the thinking that's going on up there." The older man said while he leaned over the dining room table the two currently sat at and ruffled the boy's hair. Peter sat back down and crossed his arms on the table before leaning forward on them.

"What are you thinking?"

Neal blinked at him. "Where did 'Lizabef go?"

He watched Peter's brows knit together before giving somewhat of an uneasy chuckle.

"She went to the store to get you more juice, remember? She just left about five minutes ago and you even told her what kind of juice you wanted."

Neal sat up straighter in his chair. "I 'wemembew. She's also getting you deviled ham. Icky." Neal made a disgusted face at the agent sitting across from him and smiled, trying to get Peter to quit interrogating him about his thoughts.

"Yeah, yeah." Peter dismissed with a waving hand before going back to his paperwork on the table. Neal blew out a silent breath of relief before going back to working on the puzzle Peter had given him to do.

A few minutes passed before Peter looked up and snapped his fingers together in thought. "Hey, what was that restaurant that we ate at about a month ago while we were working on the Kinsler case?"

Neal looked up from his puzzle and cocked his head to the side. He tried to think back to right before he had changed into a three year old but, all that came to him were fuzzy images like opening his eyes underwater without goggles. He looked up at Peter with a little uneasiness. "What...what case was it?"

Peter quickly dropped his gaze on the boy. "The Kinsler case. It was boring mortgage fraud and we had it solved within two days. Remember? We stopped at that diner with Jones and Diana for lunch. You didn't want to eat there because it _was_ a diner, but we made you eat there anyway and you actually liked it."

Neal just stared at him, shapes became bolder in his memory but all detail was lost. He shook his head.

"Neal, it was like three days before all this happened. I know this has been a lot for you, but you gotta remember that. We even ordered you chocolate cake for being a big boy and eating at place where they don't serve eighty dollar bottles of wine." Peter laughed. "Who knew how ironic that would become?"

Neal still just stared at him.

Peter felt his gut twist a little. How could Neal not remember that? Maybe the whole ordeal had been a lot more for Neal that Peter or Elizabeth had realized? He eyed the small boy in front of him with a concerned expression, before shaking his head, forcing a smile.

"Well, the name will come to me eventually. Don't worry about it."

He watched the boy nod slowly while focusing his attention back on the puzzle in front of him.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth was putting the groceries up when Peter walked into the house from the back porch door.<p>

"Hey, Hon. How was the store?"

"Packed as always on the weekends. I would've been back sooner but the woman in line in front of me started complaining about how they charged her extra for apples and made a huge scene. She even called for the manager, who then had to try to explain to her she didn't have their discount card so she couldn't the deal on the sign, but the woman just kept yelling over him until the woman finally just left."

"Wow, who knew apples could start such a riot?" Peter responded while grabbing the box of animal crackers from the bag and putting them in the pantry.

"I know." Elizabeth said, pouring some of Neal's juice he had asked for into his 'beloved' sippy cup. "Where's Neal?"

"He's in the backyard playing with Satchmo." Peter answered, craning his neck to look out the window to check on him. He watched the little boy toss a stick and clap as the dog happily fetched it and brought it back. Satchmo dropped it at his feet and licked Neal in the face.

Eizabeth heard Neal's giggles filter through the open back porch door. "Sounds like he is having a good time." She twisted the lid on the sippy cup and handed it to Peter. "Will you take this to him? I'm going to change into something more comfortable, then I'll join you two for some fu-" She was going to say fun, but was cut off by bloodcurdling wails coming from the backyard. The cup fell in between the couple's hands before they both took off running out of the house.

* * *

><p>Neal picked the stick up from the ground and tossed it again for Satchmo, but this time he tried to throw it even farther by throwing with a lot more force but the momentum made him pitch forward and fall to the ground. At first, he was just stunned and didn't feel anything, but when he tried to push himself up off the ground he felt a pain shoot through his hand. He gasped and looked down to see a red crimson liquid spilling out all over the grass in between his fingers. Just like the memory he tried to recall, his comprehension of injury was hazy and his sense of panic was high. His brain could only supply him with one solution: cry for Elizabeth and Peter.<p>

* * *

><p>They could see Neal lying on his side, curled into a ball with Satchmo standing over him licking him all over in what was assumed to be an attempt to comfort the boy, but it did nothing but make the boy curl in further on himself and sob harder. "Peeeeeeetew! 'Lizaaaabef!"<p>

Elizabeth reached Neal first and while Peter got Satchmo to back away from the boy, she placed gentle, careful hands on Neal, checking for injuries.

"Neal, baby? What's wrong?" She asked, frantically. Her questions spilling out of her mouth just as quick as her heart was racing. "Sweetie what is it?" When Neal started to uncurl himself, she helped him roll onto his back and gasped at the blood covering Neal's hand that the boy held up to her.

Peter had knelt down on the other side of Neal and grasped the boy's wrist to inspect the injury, while Elizabeth ran her hand through Neal's hair trying to get him to calm down. "Is this the only place you're hurt baby?" But Neal didn't answer. He just kept crying.

Neal's cries became louder when the agent poked at the child's hand and he kicked and twisted to try and get away from the pain. He wasn't the only one suffering though. His wails were inflicting their own torturous pain on not only Elizabeth and Peter's ears, but on their hearts too.

El kept mussing his hair with one hand, while the other held the child still as Peter looked over the wound. She whispered everything she could think of to comfort him while Peter checked Neal over for other injuries. Once he nodded at her that the hand was the only wound he had sustained, she picked up the boy as quickly as she could and cradled him comfortingly while keeping his hand clear of anymore danger. She stood up with the help of her husband and rocked Neal up and down.

"Neal what happened? How did you hurt your hand baby?" El asked softly, kissing the top of his head while she waited for him to respond. Neal sucked in a glitchy breath. "I...I...th-thwew...the stick-k and and...I...I f-fell over and c-c-cut my han-hand." He wailed and buried himself deeper into Elizabeth's hold.

Elizabeth made eye contact with her husband who mouthed 'Deep cut' and 'stitches'. She felt her breath catch in her throat, making it sound oddly like Neal's hitching breaths that were doing their very best at tearing her heart to shreds. But she nodded and quickly followed Peter to the car.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth attempted to carry Neal into the emergency room of the hospital, but the boy, taking a moment to seize his crying and lift his head from her shoulder, saw where they were and began a full out tantrum with kicking and screaming. At first, she tried to calm him, but his kicks became more furious and eventually she had to hand him to Peter.<p>

Peter took Neal into his arms and held him so tightly that Neal couldn't even twist in his grasp. It didn't prevent the boy from kicking, but Peter just ignored the various bursts of pain and carried him into the ER.

The one good thing about Neal's tantrum was that it made the nursing staff take them back to an exam room right away. Once they were back there, it took a long ten minutes to get Neal calmed down enough so that Elizabeth could sit on the bed and hold him in her lap while Peter filled out the necessary paperwork.

Neal was quietly sniffling now but there were no more tears rolling down his reddened, tear soaked skin. Instead, his breath was hitching even worse than before and now he had started to gag as all the crying was starting to turn his stomach.

"Neal, baby, it's okay. It's okay." She tried as she stopped rocking and sat him up a bit straighter. Neal's breath continued to hitch and he gagged once again. "Sweetie, please calm down. You're making yourself sick, baby."

Peter looked up worriedly from filling out the paperwork. He saw Neal gag again. Without saying anything, he stood up, placed the clipboard in the chair and left to find a nurse.

Neal sucked in a shuddering breath and looked up at her, "P-please... mak-make it stop. I wanna g-go home. I - just wanna go home." He leaned back against her and hid his face in the side of her neck.

She rubbed small circles on his back. "Just hang in here for a few more minutes, okay? Then we will go. They doctor has to sti-...bandage your hand first, then we will go."

She nervously waited for Neal to realize that she almost said stitch, but he never did, something she was thankful for until Peter came back in with a nurse pushing a cart with all her supplies.

* * *

><p>Neal was beginning to feel safe again, despite being in a hospital and the pain in his hand. However, it left as faster than it came, when he heard the squeaking of wheels and the clatter of steel. He slowly lifted his head from Elizabeth's shoulder and turned around to sight that made him feel light-headed. The symptom apparently made itself known to everyone because all three of them, Elizabeth, Peter and the nurse, were suddenly talking to him and holding a tiny plastic cup up to his mouth with a fizzing liquid. He tore his gaze away from the cart that had needles and thread, along with wipes, cloth, bandages, a small scrubbing brush and a bowl of water, to look at the contents of the cup. It being clear and fizzing, he came to the conclusion it was Sprite. He glanced up at the old nurse as he sipped the drink. She was sitting on a stool in front of him putting on latex gloves while explaining that the drink would help settle his stomach and newfound dizziness at seeing her equipment. He pushed down the urge to ask her if it would help the newfound fear at seeing her. Instead, he drank more Sprite.<p>

The nurse began to peel off the makeshift bandage that Peter and El had wrapped around the would on Neal's palm before leaving the house causing the boy's gaze to drift back to her and his breath hitch once more.

"Hey, Neal?" Elizabeth asked softly. She waited for the boy to look up at her from where he was watching the nurse clean the blood off his hand so she could see the wound better. "If you let this nice woman bandage up your hand despite how uncomfortable it might feel, Peter has a surprise for you."

"He does?" Neal and Peter asked at the same time. She shot her husband a warning look, before answering Neal. "Yes, but he will only give it to you on one condition."

Neal hissed and jerked his arm slightly when the nurse started to clean his wound before looking back up at Elizabeth. "Wh-what's that?"

"You have to be a very brave boy and let the nurse...stitch up your hand."

Neal's eyes widened and he jerked his arm out of the nurses grasp with one quick movement. "No! No, no, no, no." He replied, wiggling in Elizabeth's hold to get down.

"Neal." She warned once but to no avail. "Neal!" Her tone was louder and much more demanding than Neal had ever heard. His struggles ceased and he turned puppy dogs eyes and a trembling lip up towards her for a different approach. "Sorry, baby. That's not going to work. She has to stitch your hand, but I promise you it will be over in just a few minutes."

"But, but..."

"But, I bet if you apologize to the nurse and promise Peter and I that you will let her fix your hand without giving her a problem that Peter will give you the surprise right now."

"He will?" Neal asked, turning hopeful eyes towards the agent.

Peter who stood right beside the bed they were sitting on fumbled because he still had no idea what surprise his wife was talking about. "Um...I...I..."

He looked to his wife for help who just nodded.

"Yeah...of course. If you apologize and behave...I'll give it to you right now."

Neal waited a second, eyeing the nurse and the needles before looking back at the Burkes. "You'll...you'll still stay hewe won't you? Y-you won't leave me?"

"Of course not, baby." El answered hugging him and kissing him on the head.

"O'tay." Neal cautiously agreed unable to turn down a surprise. He saw Peter raise an eyebrow at him and quickly turned to the nurse. "S-sowwy. I pwomise to be good."

"It's okay, little one. Just be really still for me, okay?" The nurse replied, retaking Neal's injured hand in her own and wiping it down again. Neal nodded and turned back to Peter expectantly. The agent jumped a little. "Oh, uh...I have to go get it...from the...car." He slowly stated to the boy, but had a more questioning tone towards his wife who just shrugged her shoulders telling him that she just made it up. His jaw dropped slightly, now completely unsure of what to do.

The nurse looked up at them when silence fell over and decided to get the boy's attention away from them. "So, Neal? How old are you?" Neal turned towards her and answered her question. She asked another.

El bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud at Peter so Neal wouldn't turn his attention back on them. 'Go to the gift shop and pick something out.' Peter's jaw dropped a bit further making it even harder for Elizabeth to keep from laughing. She bit her lip more and motioned for him to go on with her hand.

* * *

><p>Peter stood in the gift shop that was much too big for his liking. It was like being inside a mall. Of course, it wasn't that big. In fact, it was probably just the size of two hospital rooms but to a man who hated shopping, the gift shop was too big and had too many things to chose from. They had twenty different kind of balloons, a bunch of trinkets and books, games, baskets, blankets, flowers, stuffed animals and cards. they even had stuff Peter didn't even know what it was. He blew out a frustrated sigh and rubbed the back of his head while standing in the middle of the shop being overwhelmed.<p>

"Sir, can I help you find something?" A middle-aged woman asked, walking up to him.

He gave an embarrassed chuckle. "I hope so. My son is getting stitches and well...my wife thought that the whole experience would go over better with something to keep his mind off of it." Peter swallowed thickly when he realized how easily he called Neal his son. He didn't even think about it before saying it.

She nodded her head enthusiastically. "Oh, certainly. Let's see. How old is your son?"

"He's uh.. three." Peter replied, suddenly feeling his throat tighten at someone else calling Neal his son.

"Okay. Well if I may make a suggestion, it is my understanding that the stuffed animals go over really well with the little ones."

"Yeah." Peter nodded, finally finding some order in the shopping process. "Yeah. I'll look there. Thank you!"

"You're welcome, sir."

Peter walked over to the wall of plush toys. He gazed up at the four shelves in front of him and felt overwhelmed once more.

"Okay, Peter. You can do this. It's just a stuffed animal, not solving a crime." Peter whispered to himself, feeling silly for being so worried about picking out the right thing for Neal. He fingered through the animals. There were all kinds. They had character stuffed animals from TV shows and movies that Peter had never heard of. They had reptiles, but Neal, neither adult or child, seemed liked the kind of person to like reptiles. They had domestic cats and dogs, but Neal had been playing with Satchmo when he hurt his hand and cats liked to scratch people's hands. They had birds like flamingos and penguins, but Peter felt like those were more for girls. It came down to aquatic animals or mammals. He narrowed it down to one shelf when the woman from before walked up next to him.

"Sir, do you need any more help?" She asked politely. He wanted to say no, but he really had no idea.

"Well, I've narrowed it down to this shelf, but I just can't decide what to get." Peter laughed awkwardly.

"Well, I don't know your son, but I find that with most fathers that come in here, it really doesn't matter what you get. Your son will love anything that comes from you."

"Yeah, you're probably right." He looked back at the shelf, picked an animal, payed for it and made his way back to the room.

When he walked back in Neal was sniffling and trembling in Elizabeth's while the nurse prepared the needle. He could hear his wife was murmuring comforting words to the boy as he walked over to them.

He knelt down so Neal could see him without uncurling himself from Elizabeth.

"Hey, Buddy. Sorry it took so long, but uh...I couldn't find the car. I forgot where we parked." He saw the corner of Neal's mouth turn up slightly and felt his own do the same at the sight. "But I've got your surprise."

Neal sniffled and rubbed a fist over his eye, before looking expectantly at the agent.

Peter pulled the stuffed animal from behind his back and showed it to the boy. At first, Neal did nothing but stare at the plush toy that was half his size and for a split second Peter felt his saliva get stuck in his throat. He began to question his choice, but suddenly a small hand ripped the big, fluffy polar bear from his hand. He watched Neal hug it for dear life with his free arm and snuggle back down into Elizabeth's hold.

The boy whimpered as the nurse began to stitch his hand and he began mindlessly gnawing at the polar bear's ear in desperate attempt to stop the pain. Peter sat down beside his wife and gently rubbed Neal's back while the nurse finished.

"Do you like the polar bear, buddy?" Peter asked, trying to get Neal's mind off of it.

He heard Neal whimper but saw him nod.

"Good. What are you thinking about naming him?"

Neal waited a minute, thinking the question over as he continued to chew on the polar bear's ear. "Mawio."

"Mario?" Peter questioned, completely surprised by the answer. "That's a good name."

He shared a look with his wife and shrugged his shoulders, before thinking about it. Suddenly it clicked and he knew where Neal had gotten Mario from. Neal called him Mario when he saw the picture of him with his mustache. He looked back at his wife who just smiled knowingly at him.

* * *

><p>An hour and a half later, Peter and Elizabeth were putting Neal to bed. Peter eased the half asleep boy down on the bed while Elizabeth pulled the covers up around him and tucked him in careful of his bandaged hand. The boy curled up around the polar bear and still continued to chew the ear.<p>

"That thing isn't going to have an ear by tomorrow." Peter whispered, as they stared down at the sleeping boy. Elizabeth laughed but shushed him before bending down and kissing Neal on the forehead. Peter patted Neal's legs, said good night and followed Elizabeth to their own bedroom.

* * *

><p>Peter woke up to the sound of what sounded like someone chewing gum with their mouth opened. He furrowed his brow, but didn't open his eyes. Instead, he rolled over onto his side and tried to block out the sound of what he figured to be Satchmo licking his foot or chewing on a bone. He felt like he was a fraction of a second of being asleep when he felt a tug on the covers. He ignored it, that is, until he felt something grab his arm that was halfway dangling off the side of the bed and pull a few times in attempt to wake him.<p>

He cracked one eye opened, already knowing who the tiny hand belonged to, and saw Neal standing there holding Mario and still gnawing on its ear. He opened the other eye.

"Neal? Are you okay, buddy?" He whispered so he wouldn't wake Elizabeth as he sat up slowly and pushed back the covers.

Neal nodded.

"What's the matter kiddo?" Peter asked, knowing better.

"I...I can't sleep...and my hand h-huwts and its itchy." Neal whispered back holding out his injured hand to Peter. The agent took it despite the fact he couldn't really see it, but then dropped it before motioning for Neal to step closer to the bed.

"C'mon. Try and get some sleep. It'll help you forget about your hand, alright?" He asked, picking the boy up (and Mario) and setting him in between himself and Elizabeth, who stirred at the movement. "Peter?" She asked, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. "Neal? Are you ok?"

"He's fine. He can't sleep because his hand hurts a bit and is itchy. I told him if he fell asleep he would forget about it."

Elizabeth nodded and laid back down on her side facing Neal. She pulled the covers up over him and his polar bear and mussed his hair while softly singing. Peter laid back down facing them as well while Satchmo took the opportunity to join in and jumped up on the bed. When Peter felt their dog lay down at their feet, he draped his arm over Neal and Elizabeth before closing his eyes and letting Elizabeth's soft singing lull him to a peaceful sleep.

**AN: Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think**


	14. An Even Better Artist

**Thank you everyone for reading, reviewing or adding this story to your lists. It means so much to me! I'm s****o sorry you have had to wait awhile! College life gets hectic at times! But I hope you enjoy this chapter! **

One week later.

"Neal."

Peter called, walking into the living room in an old pair of shorts and a ratty t-shirt. He heard rustling underneath the couch as he sat down in a chair adjacent to put on his sneakers. He was lacing them up when the little boy appeared from underneath the couch dragging Mario with him.

"Hey, El wants you upstairs in your room." Peter said, looking up only for a brief second to make sure Neal was listening, but when he saw Neal eye him as if trying to gauge his mood he added, "You're not in trouble."

He watched the boy relax and hug Mario closer to himself, but he didn't make his way upstairs.

"Well...go on." Peter encouraged with an easy laugh.

* * *

><p>"Hey, sweetie." Elizabeth greeted when she saw Neal walk into the room.<p>

"Whewe awe we going? And why do I have to weaw that?" Neal asked, walking over to where she stood by the bed neatly laying out a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, socks and sneakers. He wrapped the arm that wasn't holding his stuffed polar bear around Elizabeth's leg and leaned against her. She smiled down at him before running her hand through his hair.

"Peter is taking you to the park today."

"Y-you'we not coming wif` us?"

El wanted nothing more than to say yes to the big, blue hopeful eyes looking up at her, but knew she couldn't. Since Neal had changed, she found that she began to dislike her job a little, especially when it kept her from spending time with them on Saturdays. "I'm sorry, baby. I can't. I have an event today, but I promise you tomorrow I'm all yours. We will do whatever you want, okay?"

Neal still looked disappointed but he nodded anyway.

"Okay. Now, let's get you ready to go have some fun, huh?"

"Can't I have fun without wearing those?" He asked her, motioning to the clothes she laid out for him while she picked him up and sat him on the bed.

She shook her head and rolled her eyes, an amused laugh escaping her. "What are we going to do with you? Huh? Will it be so awful for you to dress appropriate for the park just once?"

He glanced between the clothes and Elizabeth before shrugging his shoulders.

"Guess not."

"Thank you." Elizabeth replied, kissing him on the forehead.

Neal twisted his face up in mock disgust and groaned playfully as he wiped his forehead. " `Lizabef!"

"Sorry, sorry. I know. You're a big boy." She chuckled, taking his hand in hers. "Let's check out that scar, huh?"

She opened his tiny fingers from the fist he had made and ran a gentle finger over the raised line on his palm from where his stitches had been just three days before. "It's healed nicely."

"Ladies love scaws." Neal smiled up at her and gave her an overdramatic wink.

She rolled her eyes. "Some do, but not this lady. Not on you. So please keep relying on those baby blues, okay? They'll make a lady melt faster than anything, especially with that grin of yours...and these cute dimples." She replied touching the little dimples in his slightly pink cheeks, before tapping his nose. "And this cute little nose. And these-"

"Okay, okay!" Neal giggled batting her hands away.

"You didn't let me finish." Elizabeth replied with mock disappointment. "I didn't get to say these ticklish sides of yours." She began tickling him, causing loud giggles to fill the room from the both of them. She tickled him until his face became apple red. Neal laid out on the bed, breathing heavily letting a giggle or two erupt from him every few seconds, before sitting up and glaring at El.

"That wasn't faiw."

"Should we go get the FBI agent to be the judge?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. She couldn't help but laugh when Neal's eyes widened and he shook his head vigorously. They both knew Peter would take her side and only end up holding him down, while El tickled him some more. It was a common occurrence.

"That's what I thought. Now let's get you ready for the park."

* * *

><p>Neal watched Peter open the trunk of the car once they had reached the park.<p>

"What awe you doing?"

"Getting our stuff." Peter replied while pulling out a bag from the trunk.

"What stuff? Why do we need stuff? We nevew bwing stuff to the pawk. 'cept Satchymo sometimes."

"You're being very analytical today." Peter slung the bag onto his shoulder, locked the car and grabbed Neal's hand before walking over to an empty patch of grass. He sat the bag down and started to unzip the bag. He noticed Neal was watching him carefully.

"Will you relax? You act like I am about to put you through the physical fitness test for the FBI." Peter chuckled.

"What awe we going to do?" Neal asked, before the agent suddenly tossed him an object. Neal stepped back away from it and let it drop right in front of his feet while he stared at it with wide eyes.

"This might be a bit more difficult than I thought if you won't even catch the glove."

Peter replied, standing up while putting on his own baseball glove and tossing the baseball in it. "Pick it up and put it on. It'll be a little stiff because I just bought it, but it'll break in the more you use it."

Neal made no move to do so. He just kept staring at it so Peter picked it up and slid it on his hand. "Okay, I'm just going to toss it to you really lightly. All you gotta do is keep your eye on the ball and wherever the ball is you keep your glove there to catch it. Alright?"

Neal finally jerked his head up to look at the older man and shook it vigorously. Peter nodded his head. "It's alright, Neal. Just try to catch it, okay? It's alright if you miss it."

But Neal kept shaking his head negatively while his face was twisted with desperation and embarrassment.

"Neal, what's the matter? We are just playing ball. If you're afraid that you will get hurt again, don't be. I'm only going to toss it to you." Peter started to make the motion of the toss with his arm and once Neal quit shaking his head he let the ball go. It was as gentle as Peter could have possibly tossed it and it landed with a thud right in front of the boy's feet, who didn't even attempt to catch it. Instead, he had flinched back and watched it fall.

"That's okay. We will try it again." Peter said as he started to walk the few steps that were between them to pick up the ball since Neal made no move to pick it up himself. He held it out to the boy. "Do you want to throw it first instead?"

Neal looked up at him with big eyes and a wobbly lip and before Peter could swallow the lump in his throat the boy dropped his glove and took off running across the park. Peter was stunned for a few seconds, unable to move as he watched Neal run across the grass and into the play area where he crawled into a tube that connected to the slide. Peter let out a deep breath before walking over to the playground, where thankfully, no one else was at.

"Neal." Peter called standing down below the tube Neal had crawled into. He received no answer, so he lifted his arm up and knocked on the bottom of the tube. He heard the boy jump at the noise and crawl a few inches to the right. "Neal. I know you're in there."

Silence.

"What's the matter, buddy?"

Peter sighed. He was getting no where. He looked over and saw that he could either crawl through two other tubes and cross a bridge that probably wouldn't hold his weight or walk up the slide and be in the same tube as the boy. He shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Why do I always end up in these ridiculous situations?" He muttered, walking over to the end of the slide.

He squatted down, trying to see up into the tube, but he couldn't see Neal. He was about to call to him again, but knew that it Neal knew he was there, the boy would probably crawl through another tube and get away from him. the agent took a few steps back from the end of the slide, before taking off and running up the slide, grabbing the top handle bar when he reached the top and dropped to his knees to find a shocked three year old little boy staring at him.

"Neal-"

Why Peter thought that Neal wouldn't crawl back through the tube when he saw him, was beyond the agent, but when Neal did turn around and crawl through the end of the tube, Peter took a deep breath, judged that he could fit through the tube without getting stuck and followed after him.

Two aching knees and five knocks the the head later, Peter finally reached out and grabbed Neal's ankle preventing the boy from escaping down the fire pole. "No."

He grounded out, gently pulling the boy back to him. The boy tried desperately to get free but to no avail. The agent wrapped his arm around the boy's torso and backed out of the tube onto a little open platform. He pulled Neal into his lap and tried to catch his breath before speaking.

"What is this all about?"

"I-I don't want to play baseball." Neal replied, trying to wiggle out of Peter's lap, but he couldn't.

"You had to make me chase you through a playground for you to tell me that?"

Neal stilled, but didn't say anything. The older man stood Neal up though he remained seated, and turned the boy to look at him. He held him by his sides so he wouldn't dive back into the tubes.

"Why don't you want to play?"

"I don't...don't like it."

"How do you know? Have you ever even played?" Peter asked.

Neal was silent for a minute. "N-no...but I...I don't like it. I don't want to play."

"Okayyy." Peter drug out. "Well, is there a sport you do like to play or want to play?"

Peter saw Neal look down at his shoes, unable to look at him anymore before he shook his head negatively.

"I-I'm s-sorry, Petew."

"Sorry?" Peter questioned with a small laugh. "What are you sorry for, Neal?"

"Th-that I...I don't like spowts. That I don't like baseball." Neal whispered, still keeping his eyes on the ground. Peter watched him wipe a hand across his eyes and saw the water that now glistened on his hand. "That I'm not...good at them." Neal sniffled.

"Hey, hey." Peter called quietly, pulling Neal's chin up with one finger. "What's with the tears? It's okay, buddy. If you don't like it, that's okay. There's nothing wrong with that. But if you don't like sports just because you think you can't play them, that's no way to be. You gotta at least try it first."

Neal wiped at his eyes again and looked at Peter with sad eyes. "I couldn't play football. My...my dad...always said I - I couldn't play sports. He told my mom th-that the only thing I was good at was dwawing and...that it w-was a waste."

Peter felt anger twist in his stomach and for a split second he imagined that he had some buff, extreme macho version of an adult male that had some resemblance to Neal by the neck, cutting off his air supply. "Neal...first off. Just because you maybe can't play one sport doesn't mean you can't play others. Second, I don't need to tell you how good you are at art, because...well, you've fooled even the most prestigious museums around the world with it." Peter chuckled and gained a small smile from the boy. "Not that I'm supporting such behavior." Peter quickly warned with a smile. "It most certainly isn't a waste to be a good artist. If that's what you are good at, then you take that talent and give it all you have, in an honest way, and great things will come of it."

"S-so...youw not m-mad? Orw orw...disappointed?"

Peter let a sympathetic sigh escape him. "Never, kiddo. The only reason I would be mad or disappointed is if you actually believe anyone who tells you that you can't do something or that you aren't good enough. Understood?"

Neal offered a weak smile and nodded.

"Good." Peter smiled back and squeezed Neal's sides. "Now, how about you lead me to the exit of this playground where the slide is located?"

Neal giggled as he eyed the red-marks on Peter's forehead from bumping into the ceilings of the tubes and took Peter's hand by two of the agent's fingers, pulling him along back through the tubes.

Peter slid down the slide on his belly, per Neal's suggestion, and rolled onto his back on the ground once he got to the end where he waited for Neal to come sliding down. The boy came fast and landed with an 'oof' on top of Peter before rolling over onto the grass. Peter stood up and held the boy up as well.

"So now what do you wanna do?" Peter asked, but Neal grabbed his fingers again and pulled him back to where they had started to throw the ball. Neal bent down and picked up Peter's glove and the baseball, before holding it up to Peter for the agent to take.

"We twy it again."

Peter blinked at him, unsure. "Are you sure? Neal, we can do something else. We don't have to play."

Neal shook his head and picked up his own glove from the ground, then snaked an arm around Peter's leg while looking up at him again. "Teach me how to play."

* * *

><p>"Great catch, bud!" Peter cheered, as Neal landed with a thud on his butt after catching the ball. The boy tiredly beamed back at him, before tossing the ball back to him. Peter noticed that Neal's throws were becoming shorter as the hours went by and when Neal didn't stand back up, he knew the boy was all played out. He wasn't surprised though they had been playing for a little over four hours. It had taken about an hour and a half for Neal to actually try and catch the ball, but once he tried to both of their surprise, Neal was quiet good at baseball.<p>

Peter dropped his glove and the ball into the bag and walked over to the boy who laid down in the grass when Peter made it over to him.

"Hey, kiddo, I know you're tired, but wait to fall asleep in the car, huh?" Peter chuckled, picking him up and letting the boy rest his head on his shoulder. The agent picked Neal's glove up and tossed it in the bag, then picked the bag up and put it in the car. He eased Neal down in his car seat and maneuvered the half-asleep toddler's arms through the straps and buckled him in before getting in the driver's seat and going home.

Peter took Neal from his car seat once they had arrived at the house. Neal shifted in Peter's grasp like he was about to wake up but the agent held him close and rubbed his hand up and down the boy's back trying to settle him. It had the desired effect.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth saw Peter come through the front door carrying Neal. She was eager to ask him how it went, but knew they had to get the boy cleaned up and put to bed before she could. She saw Peter look at her with a 'what do you want me to do?' look and she pointed up stairs and mouthed 'bathroom'.<p>

Neal hadn't been to happy about being woken up, but when Elizabeth placed him in the warm bathtub water he felt himself falling back to dreamland.

"Not yet, baby. Wake up." Elizabeth encouraged with a nudge as she rinsed the soap off of him. She quickly finished, seeing as how she only had one hand to work with because she had to use one hand to hold Neal up. She pulled him from the tub and wrapped him in a big towel which he started to sleepily snuggle down into. "One more minute, sweetheart. Let's put you in your pajamas, then you can sleep."

El maneuvered Neal into his night clothes and tucked the covers up around him once she had placed him in his bed. Peter walked up beside her and ruffled the sleeping boy's hair, telling him goodnight after Elizabeth had kissed him on the forehead and told him the same.

"So," Elizabeth whispered, while they watched Neal sleep for a minute. "Is he going to be just like his daddy?"

"What?" Peter whispered back, confused.

Elizabeth nudge him, giving him a look. "Is he going to be a good baseball player like you?"

Peter tried not to let the smile show on his face, but Neal turned over in his sleep giving a content sigh and Peter let it show.

"Yes." He replied, wrapping his arms around his wife and kissing her on the head. "Yes, he is, but he's going to be an even better artist."

**Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think! **


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey Guys! I hope there's a few stragglers still left reading this story! I know it's been forever and there's no excuse except that it is Major League Baseball season, the college semester has finally ended and I just couldn't get the mojo working to write this! So so so sorry! I hope you guys are still interested in this story, but fair warning: I hate this chapter. Maybe you won't! **

* * *

><p>" 'Lizabef! 'Lizabef!"<p>

Neal whined as he nudged the woman's arms that was resting on the edge of the bed as she slept. El turned her head into the pillow and groaned but didn't wake up.

" 'Lizabef! Wake up! Wake up!" Neal wrapped his tiny hand around a couple of her fingers and tugged. The woman's arm fell off the bed and Neal let it go to dangle off the side. El stirred and finally propped herself up on her elbows and squinted down at her tiny human alarm clock.

"Neal? What is it? Are you ok?"

Neal chuckled at the woman's immediate concern and her hair that was sticking in all directions. "I'm bettew than youw haiw."

El ran a hand through her hair trying to fix it. "Look at you. Making fun of me after waking me up at," she glanced at the clock and suppressed a groan, "five in the morning. Why are you up so early?"

"I'm bowed." Came Neal's reply as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Elizabeth laid back down on the bed. "You wouldn't be bored if you were still asleep."

"But I'm not asleep."

Elizabeth snorted before rolling on her side to face the little boy with outstretched arms. Neal took a step forward and let her lift him onto the bed where he sat down beside her in the middle of it. He looked down at her with expectant eyes while she laid there with her eyes closed.

" 'lizabef! You said we could do something today!"

She cracked one eye open. "Yes, but I meant after the sun came up."

" 'lizabef!" Neal whined again, shaking her arm pleading for her to get up.

"Okay, okay." She pulled the small boy towards her and sat him on her stomach and looked up at him while she fingered the curls around his forehead. "What do you want to do today, sweetie?"

Neal tilted his head to the side in thought for a second, but just ended up shrugging his shoulders.

"You don't know?" She watched the boy shake his head. "Well how about I just surprise you?"

"Okay!" Neal sat up straighter with eagerness and grinned. "I-"

"There you are! I told you not to wake her up." Peter's voice sounded from the doorway causing both child and woman to look at him. "I told you that we were going back to bed." Peter gave Neal a stern look which Neal tried to give an innocent smile in return but Peter saw right through it causing Neal to shy away and bury himself into El's side.

"It's fine." El told her husband while she pulled the covers up around Neal and wrapped an arm around him. "We were just going back to sleep."

Neal's head shot up. "But-"

"Little boys need more sleep to get big surprises."

"But-"

"But you're a big boy, I know. However, there's a mean FBI agent guarding the door that won't let us go to the zoo if we don't go back to sleep."

"The zoo!" Neal exclaimed, then bashfully hid his face in her side again. "I - I mean the zoo." He mumbled with much less enthusiasm, realizing that he shouldn't be that excited about going to the zoo when he was actually an adult, but his kid emotions were getting really hard to control. Suddenly, he unhid his face and looked up at Elizabeth. "D-do you think..."

El waited for him to continue, but when he didn't she insisted. "Do I think what?"

"Will they have...polar bears?"

El bit her lip to keep from smiling and snuck a glance at Peter who still stood in the door way trying to keep from smiling as well.

"I think so, but you will only find out if you go back to sleep."

"Okay." Neal replied, snuggling back down against her side and pulling Mario to his chest.

Elizabeth had really meant for the child to go back to his bed, but Neal's eyes were starting to get heavier so she just motioned for Peter to come back to bed. The agent got back into bed and laid on his side facing his wife, while she rubbed Neal's back in an attempt to get him back to sleep faster. The couple shared a look. Ever since Neal hurt his hand and had came to there room that night unable to sleep, the little boy had been having trouble sleeping in his own bed. He had slept between them for four nights after that (two of which Peter and Elizabeth didn't even know about until they had woken up and found the small boy laying there) and the other two nights he had managed to stay in his bed, Peter and Elizabeth had to deal with a tired three year old for the day.

Once Neal's mindless chewing on Mario's ear ceased indicating the boy was asleep Elizabeth whispered, "Why isn't he sleeping good anymore?"

Peter shrugged his shoulders, ruffling the boy's hair gently.

"I don't know, but he won't sleep for much longer so let's try to get a few more minutes."

* * *

><p>"Okay, the zebras are next!" Elizabeth informed as she examined a map of the zoo.<p>

"Whewe awe the polaw beaws?" Neal asked from Peter's arms as the man carried him through the crowd gathered around at the giraffe exhibit they were leaving.

"That exhibit is closed." Peter chuckled as Neal tightened his arm around Mario and looked at him with questioning eyes.

"Peter!" Elizabeth scolded him. "Honey, it isn't closed. Peter is just kidding. We will get there soon. I promise."

Neal glared at Peter. "Okay."

* * *

><p>Elizabeth stood back behind her husband and Neal while watching them fondly as they looked at the zebras. Peter stood beside Neal holding his hand while they both pointed to the animals. She quickly pulled out her phone to take a picture. She looked to make sure it wasn't blurry, but for some reason it was. She soon realized it wasn't because of her phone, but because she had tears lining the bottom of her eyes as she looked at the photograph of Peter and Neal holding hands, while Neal looked up at Peter who in turn looked down at the small boy smiling. She looked back up at her boys and took some more pictures when she heard Peter say something about zebras looking like they were in old fashion prison uniforms which prompted Neal to glare at him before playfully bumping into Peter's legs.<p>

* * *

><p>"Alright the polar bear exhibit is to the left up ahead." El directed, as she folded the map back up.<p>

"Oh, wait El. I need to tie my shoe." Peter stated while moving over to the side of the walkway to get out of the moving traffic. He put Neal down beside him while squatting down. He listened to Elizabeth plan out the rest of their trip, while he tied his shoelace before standing up. "Alright, buddy! You ready to see the Polar Bears?"

Peter looked around his legs for the little boy but came up empty. He scanned the area once more with much more speed before frantically looking at Elizabeth.

"What?" She asked upon seeing the panic shaping his face.

"Where's Neal?"

* * *

><p>Neal grew bored watching Peter tie his laces and turned his back to the older man to look at the elephants across the way. He watched one slowly appear from behind a large rock formation just as something bumped into him. He stumbled a few steps to the side, giving a small giggle thinking Peter had nudged him, but when he was bumped again, this time a bit more forceful, he gave a whine in protest.<p>

"Oh, I'm sorry sweetie!" A woman's voice said from above him. He looked up thinking he was going to come face to face with Elizabeth, but the woman looking down at him looked nothing like his mom. Neal shook his head. She looked nothing like 'Lizabef.

He felt his bottom lip trembling, something he had really grown to hate while he was stuck like this, unless he was in trouble because then if his lip trembled and his eyes watered, well it was usually followed by Elizabeth and Peter sinking like stones and letting him off the hook. But now he didn't see either of them. All he could see was some woman who had bumped into him and a bunch of other strangers that failed to take notice that a toddler was talking to a stranger.

"Sweetie, are you okay?" The lady asked, now crouching down next to him. "Where's your mommy and daddy, baby?"

Neal bit his lip hard, his adult mind rapidly being washed away by his childlike fears. "M-m-mommy." He whispered, while watching the lady with watering eyes.

"Yes, sweetheart, your mommy. Do you know where she is? Do you see her?"

Neal quickly looked around but his fearful mind couldn't process anyone's face. They just looked like blurs. Neal stared back blankly at her. His mind turning counter clockwise taking him back to a time where fear was chased away by Elizabeth. He clenched his fists down by his side and shut his eyes. His quivering voice ghosted across his trembling lips making the woman rock back a little in surprise to his singing.

"_And I keep trying to remember all the little things you showed me_

_When you hold me._

_I close my eyes for a little while._

_I'm a child. You're beside me_

_And you're singing_

'_Baby I can't always be beside you_

_But everything you need I will provide you, oh_

_And if you feel the world outside denies you_

_I will fight away the loneliness and emptiness that bind you.' "_

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><p>Elizabeth and Peter stood at the security booth inside the park. If Peter hadn't been trained by the FBI, Elizabeth wasn't used to Peter being in dangerous situations and both of them accustomed to worrying about Neal, neither of them would have been able to keep a level head during the nightmare they were currently living. Peter was talking to one of the security guards who had just heard over his radio that one of the zoo keepers had found Neal, while Elizabeth stood next to him holding Mario securely in her arms. She fingered the plush polar bear's rugged ear, and painfully thought about holding Neal in her arms while she sang to him and rocked him to sleep as he chewed on the ear.<p>

" _From this world I'll never hurt you_

_Till the day my arms you'll slide through baby boy_

_One of these days the world is gonna find you_

_And take you away from me."_

She suddenly felt the pressure of Peter's arm around her waist and his lips pressed gently against her temple. She leaned against him and looked towards the door hoping to see her baby. She mentally shook her head. She hoped to see Neal walking towards her.

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><p>The second the security guard opened the door to where Elizabeth and Peter stood, Neal immediately started wiggling in her hold to get down. She complied and Neal took off the second his feet hit the floor. He was met by Elizabeth who was running towards him with her arms outstretched and he planted himself in her arms trying not to cry.<p>

"Oh thank God!" Elizabeth whispered as she stood up and rocked from side to side while holding Neal as tight as she possibly could without hurting him and just reveled in the relief of having him safe and secure in her arms. "Thank God! Neal, baby, are you ok?"

She felt the small boy whimper while nodding and nuzzling into her neck.

She glanced up and noticed Peter shaking hands with the woman who had found Neal and the security guard who had brought the boy back to them, before he waved at her to indicate they could leave.

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><p>Peter sat out on the back porch looking up at the night sky while taking a swig of his beer. He sat the empty bottle down beside him with a quiet clank against the table and ran his hands slowly down his face in a failed attempt to make himself feel better. Sure, Elizabeth had told him it wasn't his fault that Neal had gotten lost, but her comforting and assuring words only last for about five minutes before the gut-wrenching image of Neal clinging desperately to Elizabeth while wailing made his heart feel to heavy. To make matters worse, Elizabeth tried to give the boy to Peter but Neal wanted nothing of it and made sure both of them knew it by crying even more when he was held out towards the agent.<p>

Peter sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, before glancing back inside of the dark house when he heard the small jingle of Satchmo's collar. He watched the dog trot tiredly through the opened back door and lay down beside him on the porch, before turning his attention back to the house when he heard an all too familiar pitter-patter. Seconds later, a little boy fisting his eyes appeared in the doorway.

"Neal?" Peter asked in a hushed tone. "What are you doing up? It's in the middle of the night."

Neal blinked owlishly at him, before waling over to him. Peter took notice to the hesitance in the little boy's step.

"I..." Neal bit his lip. "I couldn't sleep. Why...why awe you sitting in the dawk? Why awen't you asleep?"

Peter chuckled a bit at how easily Neal could still redirect. "I couldn't sleep either."

"Why?"

The older man shrugged, but answered. "I just...kept thinking about today. About how scared I was."

"Scawed?" Neal questioned standing up a bit straighter beside the man seated on the back porch step. "You- you mean you wewen't mad?"

"Mad? Why would I be mad?"

"Because I wandewed off. I didn't stay with you and I don't have my anklet."

Peter could only stare at the kid.

"Petew?"

The agent blinked and let out a disbelieving snort. "Neal, I'm not mad at you. I know that you didn't purposefully wander off. It's alright, okay? If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. I should've kept a better eye on you."

Neal's only response was a yawn as he tiredly swayed on his feet while he fisted his eyes again. Peter sighed and stood up, pulling Neal up as well. "Come on, let's get you back to bed."

"Can't sleep." Neal informed him while laying his head on the agent's shoulder. Peter walked into the house whistling for Satchmo to follow then shut the back door and locked it.

"You gotta try kiddo." Peter tried to encourage as he quietly climbed the stairs knowing full well that Neal was just to scared to sleep because of the events of the day and walked into Neal's room. He moved to deposit the little boy in the bed, but Neal held onto him tighter making it impossible for Peter to do so.

He sighed. "Okay, buddy. Okay." Peter moved over to the rocking chair in the corner of the room and sat down with Neal laying across his legs so that his head rested in the crook of his arm. The boy looked up at him with owlish eyes while he draped a blanket over him and handed Mario to him. Suddenly, Neal gasped as he hugged Mario.

"I nevew saw the polaw beaws!"

Peter chuckled. "It's ok. You'll see them another time."

"When?"

"I don't know exactly when, but we will take you to see them. I promise."

"But Petew, I..."

"What?"

"I only have four days."

Peter blinked. For a moment he couldn't do anything. How could he have forgotten?

"W-well...we will have to go before then, I guess. Now try and get some sleep alright?"

Peter watched as Neal's eyelids started to droop and suddenly felt a sting inside his chest. In four days, Neal would either go back to being an adult which Peter missed, or stay a child that Peter had grown attached to.

But holding Neal in his arms and thinking about his time with Neal as an adult and as a child he soon realized, that no matter what happened in four days. Neal would still be Neal. He would still be Peter. And they would both be friends, partners and family.

He smiled in amusement as Neal struggled to keep his eyes open, before starting to softly sing.

"_From the world I'll never hurt you_

_Till the day, my arms you'll slide through baby boy._

_One of these days the world is gonna find you_

_And take you away from me_

_The lights are gonna blind you_

_Gonna make you complete_

_A girl is gonna hurt you_

_A woman is gonna set your heart on fire,_

_Your heart on fire._

_And even when you've left me far behind you_

_No one's gonna love you like I do."_

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><p><strong>AN: I actually hate this chapter, but I promise the next chapters will be much better! The song that is used in this chapter is Song Without a Reason by Josiah Lemming<strong>


	16. The Outcome

**I'm extremely sorry it has been so long! I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

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><p><strong>The Outcome<strong>_  
><em>

_ Had I known it would end like this, I wonder what I would have done different. I wonder if I would have done the same things. Said the same things. I wonder if it would have felt different knowing what would come of all of this. _

* * *

><p>There are moments in life when you have absolutely nothing to do. Boredom has a way of creeping up fast in all types of situations. Whether you're alone or in a crowd, boredom has the ability to find you and make you squirm. Peter had been sitting in the car for two hours now and if someone asked him he would be able to tell you the exact number of minutes that had passed by along with the seconds. If another hour passed by, he'd probably feel like he could tell the milliseconds, too. Elizabeth had to stop by a client's home for a meeting about an upcoming event on their way out to the city to enjoy the last night they had knowing Neal would be a three year old boy. After promising she wouldn't be long, <em>two hours ago, <em>she had exited the car and walked inside, leaving Peter alone in the car with Neal.

Usually, when Neal was an adult and Peter found himself stuck in the surveillance van or the car on late night stakeouts with the younger man, the agent found himself desperately pleading for the feeling of boredom to find him. He had learned that if Neal was bored, no one else was. Neal's boredom consumed him quickly and reverberated into annoying fidgeting and nonstop talking that left everyone in close capacity feeling drained within five minutes.

Now, however, was an unusual situation. Not just because Neal was now all of three years old, but because after sitting in the car for two hours, the little boy had yet to fidget or even speak a word unless Peter had directly asked him a question.

Peter stole a sideways glance at the toddler who sat beside him in the passenger side of the car, his short legs barely making it over the edge of the seat. He was sitting there looking out the window, biting his lip as he did so, without saying a word.

Peter sighed audibly for what felt like the hundredth time which was actually the eleventh time but who was counting? His obvious show of boredom had no affect on the boy and he chuckled. This caused the boy to turn his head to stare at the agent so that Peter would know he was asking what he was laughing about without actually having to ask.

Peter shook his head. "Why're you so quiet?"

Neal shrugged his shoulders and stared at him a moment longer before turning his head to look out the window again.

"Well, I'm so bored I actually think watching paint dry would be exciting. You don't have some paint and a canvas, do you, Picasso?"

Neal turned back around to look at him. He shook his head.

"No?" Peter asked, pretending to be surprised and disappointed at the same time. "Gosh, and to think I was going to let you paint a forgery this time and let you get away with it. Talk about missing an opportunity."

The older man watched the kid carefully and noticed a small current of light flash in the blue orbs staring up at him. "I guess I'll have to get Mozzie to paint me a Rembrandt. He's good at painting, right?"

Neal bit his lip, his eyes shining a little brighter. "He is, isn't he? I bet he's an amazing painter." Peter asked, detecting the laughter welling up inside Neal's belly. A few seconds later, the giggle split the boy's face into a cheeky grin.

Peter smiled back at him, then formed a shocked expression with his face. "Why are you laughing? Mozzie isn't a good painter?"

Neal's smiled widened before he shook his head vigorously. "Uh- uh. He's good at...all sowts of things, just...not that."

"Really?"

Neal nodded. "Yeah. He can dwaw. It's just paint has something against him, I think."

"So I'm not the only one." Peter chuckled, before looking at Neal with a calmer stare. "It's good to know you didn't forget how to talk. I was beginning to think you were going to take up the art of miming."

Neal let out a small giggle, but looked out the window again. "Sowwy."

"Yeah, I thought I'd actually enjoy a quiet Neal Caffrey, but I think I've been subjected to the borderline ADHD Caffrey so much that I'm actually fearful of a calm one."

"I don't have ADHD." Neal glared at him, but bit his lip to keep from smiling.

"That's why I said borderline." Peter chuckled as Neal couldn't help but smile. "See, even you know it. Now, what's really going on?"

"You put Adderall in my ceweal this mowning?" Neal tried to dismiss.

"No. Now what has you so quiet?" Peter asked again, even though he knew Neal had every right to be scared about the upcoming hours.

Neal stared at Peter, not wanting to voice his fear out loud. Luckily, he didn't have to because Elizabeth knocked on the window.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth and Peter sat the dining room table that night after they got back from their 'date night' with Neal. They had let Neal choose anything he wanted to do and had prepared themselves to go see the polar bears at the zoo and go to an art museum but instead, they were surprised that the little boy wanted to spend the entire afternoon at the park. As they sat on the park bench, they marveled at how much Neal enjoyed the park. At first, it was practically like pulling his teeth to get him to go and play like a normal kid, but as they watched him that night it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Neal crawled through the tubes and dove down the slides like any other three year old would, before running back over to them and pulling on both of their hands to get them to chase him. They complied and the three of them played until the sun sank down behind the buildings of New York casting a blanket of darkness across the park that urged them to lay down in the grass with Neal in between them and marvel at the stars that Neal was no longer afraid to look at.<p>

They both heard Neal shift in his sleep from where he laid on the couch and held their breath. Although, they didn't expect him to change until the morning, every little movement the boy gave had their throats constricting.

"Is this right?" Peter whispered once Neal settled back down.

"Is what right?" Elizabeth questioned.

"We should be happy right? Things are going back to normal. Neal will be happy. This whole thing, he's been pretty scared. I think he will feel a lot better once he's back to normal, you know?"

"Oh." Elizabeth replied as she stared at the boy. "Yeah, things will be...normal. This is a good thing." Her tone sounded as if she was trying to convince herself.

"But what if he doesn't change back? What happens then?"

"Then...things stay...normal."

* * *

><p>Peter woke up from where he had fallen asleep with his head on the dining room table as he had watch Neal sleep. He noticed Elizabeth on the opposite side of the table asleep with he arms folded under her head. Sunlight spilled through the windows, making Peter squint until he realized the excessive light meant that today was the day. He quickly turned his head towards the couch, uneasy at what he might find, but it was empty. No child. No man. No Neal. He got up and glanced around the house before calling out for him. "Neal?"<p>

No answer. Peter swallowed thickly. Would a higher pitched voice answer? Would Neal's normal lower voice answer? Would there be an answer? Peter started to get worried when he couldn't find Neal anywhere.

"Neal?" He called again, a bit louder. He turned to look in the kitchen and jumped back. Neal stood there, all six feet of him, in the same suit Peter had seen him in the last time he saw him as an adult.

"Neal." Peter's voice was just above a ghost whisper.

Neal stared at him with blue eyes that looked much like the ocean in the middle of a hurricane. "Peter," The agent could feel his muscles tense as Neal said his name with a perfect 'R' sound at the end. "I'm so confused."

Peter felt his eyes lock on Neal's at the odd statement and before he had time to reply, he felt his body jerk and found himself sitting back at the dining room table with Elizabeth who slept with her arms folded under her head. The sunlight spilled through the windows, but Peter already knew it was the morning of truth. He turned his head to look at the couch where Neal slept.

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><p>One year later<p>

Neal sat the Burke's dining room table and opened the book that Peter had put in front of him. He glanced down at the first page a little shocked to find a picture of himself as a three year old boy laughing as Satchmo licked the side of his face. He looked over at Peter warily, unsure if he should go on, until Peter nodded his head.

Below the picture was a wrinkled piece of notebook paper that looked like it had been folded and unfolded hundreds of times, before being placed inside the book.

"Go on." Peter insisted. "Read it."

Neal nodded and began reading the letter silently to himself.

_Neal,_

_ Had I known it would end like this, I wonder what I would have done different. I wonder if I would have done the same things. Said the same things. I wonder if it would have felt different knowing what would come of all of this. Time itself is a never ending thing, yet no one ever has it forever. At first, it seemed like the month would drag by. I couldn't imagine myself being responsible for a three year old little boy. Being responsible for the adult Neal Caffrey was hard enough, but when you stood there looking up at me for the first time after you ran across the street from Satchmo begging me to protect you, its the only thing I wanted to do. You were so small, and scared. I remember thinking how odd it felt being able to read your honest expression instead of looking at the brave facade your friends and family now are able to see right through. The point is, I'm writing this letter because I want things from now on to be normal, for all of us. I want to look back to that time and remember it for the joyful time that it was, no matter how scared or confused we all were. I want us to look back at the memory and remember it as one of the many moments that has brought us closer together as a family. As time goes on, I hope the pages in this book will remind you of that and remind you of this normal family we have now. _

_As I said before, I wonder how things would've turned out had I known what would happen at the end of that month. I ask myself if I would have treated you the same way, done the same things, said the same things. Lord knows I made plenty of mistakes. Now when I look back to that time, all I can think about it your big, blue eyes looking up at me with so much light that the ocean becomes nothing more than puddle in comparison. I can still hear your giggles and your small feet padding through the house while Satchmo chased you. I can still see your smile whenever something made you laugh. I think that's the one thing I remember the most, because it was the first time I ever felt that it was the most genuine, purest of smiles that ever appeared on your face and maybe even mine. _

_So now that it's all said and done, I know that it wouldn't have mattered the slightest if I had known the outcome, because every laugh, every smile, every cry, every tear, every sleepless night, every off-key note I sang was worth it. _

_If you're reading this, you either snooped through the house or you've reached the big age of four. I hope it's the second one. If it's not, you know I'll know._

Neal glanced up at Peter who sat beside him at the table and smiled knowingly. Peter smiled back and ruffled his hair. Neal went back to reading.

_Anyway kiddo, I have enjoyed every moment with you, even the not so great ones because that means you're still my little boy. You're still my son. Mommy and I, love you very much. _

_Happy Birthday, Neal._

_Love,_

_Daddy_

Neal stared at the book for a moment longer, before he turned to stare up at Peter, who now had become his father after never changing back. For a moment they stared at each other, before Neal climbed out of his chair and onto Peter's lap to give him a hug.

Peter felt Neal's small arms around his neck and just laid his head in the small boy's curls as he hugged him back.

"Thanks." Neal whispered, hugging the man tighter. Peter patted his back. "You're welcome, buddy. Now, come on. Mom is waiting with your birthday cake. You don't want Uncle Mozzie to test it for radioactive chemicals before you get to put your face in it, do you?"

Neal laughed and jumped off Peter's lap. He took his hand and they made their way to the kitchen, where Elizabeth, Mozzie, June, Jones and Diana were all waiting, but Neal stopped halfway and looked up at Peter.

"What is it?" Peter asked. Neal smiled up at him and squeezed his hand tighter around Peter's.

"I love you, too, Daddy."

**The End.**

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><p><strong>Thank you to every single person that read this story, reviewed or added this story to an alert list! Thanks you so much! I love each and every one of you! And because I love you so so so much! Look for a new story on here, most likely called The Book...because I believe it will be filled with little snippets of Little Neal and the family. It will follow the book that Peter started for Neal at the end of this and kinda be the snippets as they add to it! Are you interested? Let me know and let me know what you thought of the last chapter! Thanks again to each and every one of you! :D :D :D <strong>


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